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'Khan Chacha' owner Navneet Kalra booked by ED for money laundering
The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday registered a money laundering case against 'Khan Chacha' owner and businessman Navneet Kalra, who was arrested by Delhi Police last week for hoarding and black-marketing oxygen concentrators, officials said.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday registered a money laundering case against businessman and restaurateur, Navneet Kalra, who was arrested by Delhi Police on Sunday evening for allegedly hoarding oxygen concentrators and selling them at inflated prices, officials said on Wednesday.
The money laundering probe against Kalra can get him in trouble as the ED is likely to dig out all his suspected financial transactions in the past.
Kalra’s dramatic arrest from a farmhouse in Gurugram took place on Sunday even as a battery of lawyers was trying to obtain anticipatory bail for him from the Delhi high court throughout the week. He was being looked for since the recovery of 524 oxygen concentrators from three of his restaurants – Khan Chacha, Town Hall and Nege & Ju – and from the office of Matrix Cellular on May 7.
As part of its probe under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the ED will look into the money trail of sale and purchase of oxygen concentrators, whether the hoarded concentrators were being given to the Covid-19 patients family members and caregivers at exorbitant prices and others who are involved with him, said an ED official who didn’t want to be named.
The federal anti-money laundering probe agency has powers to attach properties if established that money made by the accused is proceeds of crime.
Another officer said that they have already taken all documents relating to the case from the Delhi Police and an investigation has already begun after registering an ECIR (Enforcement Case Information Report) – equivalent to the First Information Report (FIR) – a few days ago.
Delhi Police has claimed that it has evidence to prove that oxygen concentrators, which were bought for ₹14,000 to ₹15,000, were being sold for over ₹75,000.
The demand for oxygen concentrators swelled during the fourth wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in the national capital with many hospitals running out of medical oxygen as the number of critically ill patients rose. Such concentrators, which can derive 80-90% pure oxygen from ambient air, were also a crucial part of the medical supplies and aids provided by many foreign countries to help India’s efforts against the pandemic.
Four employees of Matrix Cellular Company, including its CEO and vice president, were also arrested in this case by the police. They were, however, granted bail by the court.
Kalra is alleged to have purchased the concentrators from Matrix Cellular which had imported them.
A lawyer, who represented Kalra in Delhi high court, refused to comment saying they have not been informed by the ED about the probe.
