What Happens To Oxygen Concentrators Seized From Black Market By The Police? We Find Out

The Delhi High Court ordered immediate release of 170 oxygen concentrators seized by the Delhi Police on Thursday. The court took note of the news reports stating that the concentrators were being sold on black market at an exorbitant price and were seized from North Delhi¡¯s Shastri Nagar by the investigating agency.

The division bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Rekha Palli said that it is the need of the hour that concentrators are released at earliest by competent authority without any delay. The court had yesterday passed orders regarding the process to be followed after seizure of Remdesivir and oxygen cylinders from black marketers.

Delhi Police

What happens to seized COVID material?

And that is what got us thinking, what happens to oxygen concentrators, cylinders, injections, medical supplies seized by the police from black market or hoarders? India Times have found out that there are no provisions to use the seized medicines and oxygen concentrators while the case is going on. In the recent Delhi case, many pleas were filed in the court to release the 170 oxygen concentrators that were seized by the police on Thursday.

MAKING MILLIONS FROM MISERY| Gang of 4 businessmen arrested by #DelhiPolice North Distt team in 2-day long crackdown on #blackmarketing during #COVID19 pandemic. 170 #OxygenConcentrators 170 adapters seized. Were selling each concentrator at ?1 Lakh!
More raids underway. pic.twitter.com/85VwFhI0j9

¡ª #DilKiPolice Delhi Police (@DelhiPolice) April 29, 2021

What's the catch?

It was only on Friday morning (approximately 11 hours later) that the court ordered, ¡°We direct the state to take immediate steps in this regard in terms of our order passed yesterday. Let compliance be reported at 1 PM,¡± said the court on Friday after it was informed about the news reports.

However, the fact remains that it took several hours before the court took notice and issued orders on the same. This even as the capital was struggling to keep up adequate supply of oxygen and the patients were left in lurch.

Delhi Police

What has the court said?

On Thursday, the court directed the district collectors, who are empowered under the Essential Commodities Act, to pass orders for release of seized cylinders and Remdesivir as soon as they are recovered so that the medicine do not lose their effectiveness.

The court also directed the investigating officers to immediately inform the district collectors whenever any seizure of COVID-19 drugs is made and also ascertain the genuineness of medicine. The medicine should also be immediately put in a refrigerated environment, it added.