The shortage of oxygen cylinders and other COVID-19 related essential drugs in Delhi is leading to a rise in malpractices against desperate buyers.
Delhi: Delhi Police will take harsh action against oxygen and COVID-19 related drug sellers who are found to be duping the general public of their money, the police force said Monday, May 3.
“People in desperation are not exercising due diligence or even the slightest of verification before transferring money online to unknown persons who are claiming to be oxygen or medicine providers,” said the press release.
The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and Department of Telecom (DOT) further agreed to freeze bank accounts and SIM cards being used by such cyber criminals, as per the report.
Delhi-based citizens have been sharing lists of fraudulent oxygen sellers, cautioning others to steer clear of certain sellers. One Twitter user @KriticalTheory shared her experience with one such seller. “He will sweet talk you into paying full advance or at least 50 percent and then deliver nothing,” she tweeted.
Delhi police, in separate press releases, said that they arrested a person for selling oxygen at exorbitant prices while another was arrested for cheating a COVID-19 positive patient of an oxygen cylinder. Till now eight First Information Reports (FIRs) regarding such cases have been registered at different police stations.
B.S.Bamel, a retired Delhi Police Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) mentioned that given the importance of weeding out such fraud sellers, the police would not take more than two to five days to solve individual complaints. He added that the police would not conduct a drive on such cases and citizens need to come forward and file such cases of fraud and cheating.
The Delhi Police urged citizens to show due diligence while following up on medicine and oxygen cylinder leads from the internet. They requested citizens to lodge their complaints on www.cybercrime.gov.in or on Delhi Police Covid Helpline: 011-23469900.
