Hyderabad: 3 Held For Black-marketing Of Oxygen Cylinders

HYDERABAD: The Rachakonda Special Operations Team (SOT) arrested three people for illegally transporting and black marketing of Oxygen cylinders in the city, under the Malkakgiri police station limits on Tuesday.

According to Commissioner of Police Rachakonda Mahesh Muralidhar Bhagwat, the SOT received credible information that some unknown persons were illegally transporting the Oxygen Cylinders in a minivan and were proceeding towards Moula-Ali area near, ECIL. On receipt of the information, the SOT team started vehicle intercepted their van and upon searching the vehicle found five oxygen cylinders in it. The accused all hailing from the old city of Hyderabad failed to produce any valid documents about transporting the oxygen cylinders. They were immediately taken into custody along with the cylinders & the van.

The accused were identified as Syed Abdulla, Mohammed Mazar and Syed Asif. While the main accused Syed Asif was said to be running an NGO named “Mass foundation” and providing services of supplying free oxygen cylinders, medical services at home and ambulance to the needy COVID patients.

He is said to have procured oxygen cylinders at a cost of Rs. 16,000  each through one person named Salman and then selling them for Rs.25,000 to patients who were in urgent need of Oxygen for their survival. The police seized 5 Oxygen cylinders, a minivan and cell phones from the accused.

A case was filed against them under sections 51 (B) of the Disaster Management Act, & 420 and 188  of the IPC at the Malkajgiri PS.

Also Read: Anyone Blocking Oxygen Supply Will Be Hanged: High Court's Stern Warning