Businessman Navneet Kalra, who is an accused in oxygen concentrator black marketing case, Friday informed the Delhi High Court that the registration certificate to run his restaurants ‘Khan Chacha’ and ‘Town Hall’ in upscale Khan Market has been cancelled by the authorities.

The court was hearing Kalra’s petition challenging a show cause notice and order suspending the registration certificate to run the restaurants following his alleged involvement in the case.

Justice Rekha Palli said it would be open to businessman to assail the cancellation order in accordance with law.

The court also clarified that it has not expressed any opinion on the claims made in his plea.

Kalra had challenged the May 11 order-cum-show cause notice issued by the Joint Commissioner of Police (Licensing) and the subsequent suspension of the registration certificate to run the two eateries in Khan Market here.

His counsel Gurinder Pal Singh submitted that the registration certificate was cancelled by the authorities by an order dated July 23 and nothing survived in the petition.

The businessman had contended that the suspension was illegal and contrary to the provisions of the Delhi Eating houses Registration Regulations as it did not confer power of suspension at the stage of issuance of a show casue notice.

Kalra, who was arrested by the Delhi Police in a case of alleged black marketing of oxygen concentrators during the second wave of the Covid-19, said that there was no provision to suspend registration certificate merely on the ground of registration of FIR.

“The order of suspension is also bad as recovery of oxygen concentrators made from the restaurant premises is no ground nor is it given as a ground for suspension of licence. The order of suspension adversely affects the business, reputation and livelihood of all employees working in the restaurant,” the plea said.

Kalra was granted bail in the alleged black marketing case on May 29.