Use seized oxygen concentrators for COVID-infected cops, judicial officers: Delhi court to police

New Delhi: A Delhi court on Wednesday directed the city police to release 12 seized oxygen concentrators and put them to immediate use to treat police and judicial officers exposed to coronavirus due to the nature of their work. Metropolitan Magistrate Anuj Bahal issued the directions on an application filed by the Delhi Police for releasing the oxygen concentrators kept at Dwarka Police Station’s ‘malkhana’ after being seized from two people – Vinay Agarwal and Akash Vashist – who are accused of black marketing them. The court was apprised that several police personnel are suffering from COVID-19 and therefore, these oxygen concentrators can be used for saving their lives. The judge allowed the application and stated, “No useful purpose would be solved to retain the oxygen concentrators in the police malkhana and the same should be circulated back for the use of needy patients.” “In the best health interest of police officers, judicial officers and their family members, this court deems it fit to release and put to immediate use the 12 Oxygen concentrators, seized in FIR, for the medication of police officers, judicial officers and their family members,” he added. The judge directed two oxygen concentrators to be given to the deputy commissioner of police, Dwarka for the use of police officials infected with COVID-19 infection and three each to the office of the principal district and session judge of Tis Hazari and Saket. The metropolitan magistrate also directed the allocation of two oxygen concentrators for the office of the principal district and session judge of Dwarka and another two for the COVID health centre at the Delhi Judicial Academy in Dwarka. He said the judicial officers, due to their nature of work are exposed to deadly coronavirus and a large number of judicial officers and their families in Delhi are infected with the virus. Unfortunately, two members of the Delhi judiciary namely Family Judge Kovai Venugopal and Metropolitan Magistrate, Dwarka, Kamran Khan have lost their lives due to COVID infection, the court said.