Over 300 Covid-19 cheats arrested in Delhi in 35 days

The arrests and seizures have been 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.

Over 800 oxygen concentrators, 557 vials of remdesivir, 288 oxygen cylinders and over 680 pulse oximeters — these were among the 3,267 Covid-19 treatment-related medical essentials that the Delhi Police have seized from over 300 people arrested on charges of cheating, hoarding and black marketing over the past five weeks, shows data.

Instances of hoarding and black marketing of oxygen cylinders and oxygen concentrators were most frequent between mid-April and the first week of May (Reuters file photo. Representative image)

The arrests and seizures have been 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 dips, the data shows also shows 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 such medical essentials.

The police data shows that of the 109 cases of hoarding and black marketing, West zone registered the most (38), with South zone (34) next. The Central zone, crime branch and special cell have registered 22, 14 and one case respectively. Similarly, of the 492 cheating cases, West zone topped the list with 230 cases, as South zone filed 211 cases. The Central zone, crime branch and special cell registered 128, 17 and 15 cases each, respectively.

Police data shows they had seized 537 fire extinguishers in two separate raids in outer and southwest Delhi. The suspects were allegedly trying to pass them off as oxygen cylinders after painting them black. Additionally, of the 557 seized remdesivir vials, over 200 were fakes, tests showed.

“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,” the first police officer quoted said.