E-Paper
Ludhiana trader held for black marketing of oxygen cylinders denied bail
He was arrested following a complaint by a relative of a Covid patient, who had contacted the accused for an oxygen cylinder and was supplied two small cylinders for an exorbitant price of ₹26,000
Shortage of oxygen has caused deaths of many patients, so selling oxygen cylinders at a higher rate is a serious offence, which does not deserve any leniency, a local court said on Tuesday, while dismissing the bail plea of a shopkeeper arrested for black marketing of oxygen cylinders.
The defence counsel of the accused, Somnath of Purshotam Traders, Sudhar, had submitted in court that his client was innocent and had been falsely implicated in the case.
The counsel stated that recovery was over and the applicant was no more required by the police for the purpose of investigation and nothing was recoverable from him.
However, the court of Jagraon judicial magistrate Simarjit Singh denied the plea.
The Sadar police had arrested Purshotam on May 4 for black marketing of oxygen cylinders and recovered 23 cylinders from his possession.
He was arrested following a complaint by a relative of a Covid patient, who had contacted the accused for an oxygen cylinder and was supplied two small cylinders for an exorbitant price of ₹26,000.
The accused is facing a case under Sections 420 (cheating) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code, Section 51 of the Disaster Management Act and Section 7 of the Essential Commodities Act.
