312 Covid cheats nabbed in 35 days
Over 800 oxygen concentrators, 557 vials of remdesivir, 288 oxygen cylinders, and over 680 pulse oximeters — these are among the 3,267 Covid-19 treatment-related medical essentials that Delhi Police have seized from 312 people arrested on charges of cheating, hoarding and black marketing over the past five weeks, according to official data.
The arrests and seizures were made in 601 first information reports (FIRs) registered between April 13 and May 18. Of these, 492 cases pertained to cheating by individuals as well as organised groups on the pretext of providing products essential for the treatment of Covid-19 patients.
Instances of hoarding and black marketing of oxygen cylinders and oxygen concentrators were most frequent between mid-April and the first week of May, when Covid-19 cases were at their peak and there was an acute shortage of such products in the city, said a police officer.
However, as the Capital’s Covid-19 graph dipped, the data showed a consequent drop in incidents of hoarding and black marketing of oxygen cylinders, oxygen concentrators, medicines and injections used to treat the viral infection.
“Apart from filing cases, arresting suspects and recovering the items, we are also releasing the seized goods and sending them to hospitals and Covid care centres with approvals from the courts concerned. We have also been issuing advisories about the kind of cyber frauds taking place during the pandemic,” said Delhi Police spokesperson Chinmoy Biswal. Crime branch and special cell teams, along with forces from Delhi’s 15 police districts, have been tasked to act on complaints of cyber frauds, hoarding, and black marketing of medical essentials.
Police data shows that of the 109 cases of hoarding and black marketing, the west zone registered the most (38), with south zone (34) close behind. The central zone, crime branch and special cell registered 22, 14 and one case respectively. Similarly, of the 492 cheating cases west zone topped the list with 230 cases, and south zone filed 211 cases. The central zone, crime branch and special cell registered 128, 17 and 15 cases each, respectively.
The data shows that 537 fire extinguishers were seized in two separate raids in outer and south-west Delhi. The suspects were allegedly trying to pass them off as oxygen cylinders after painting them black.
In a similar vein, of the 557 seized remdesivir vials, over 200 were fake, tests later revealed.
“Many individuals and gangs saw the crisis as an opportunity to make money. As desperate people posted SOS messages on social media along with their contact numbers, these fraudsters began tricking them into transferring money by promising to deliver the essentials. However, these items never reached them,” said the police officer quoted in the first instance.
We are also releasing the seized goods and sending them to hospitals and Covid care centres with approvals from the courts concerned.
CHINMOY BISWAL, Spokesperson for Delhi Police