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Ambulance scam — Case filed against Gehlot, Pilot

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Will file defamation case for scam charges — Sachin Pilot

JAIPUR: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday took over the case against former chief minister Ashok Gehlot , former Union minister Sachin Pilot and several others over allegations of financial irregularities to the tune of Rs 2.56 crore in operating 108 ambulance service during the previous Congress regime.The CBI carried out searches at the offices of Ziqitza Health Care Ltd in Mumbai and Jaipur. It is alleged that technical specifications were tweaked to award the tender to the firm.The case was earlier being investigated by Rajasthan police's CID-CB as it involved sitting MLAs including Gehlot.The state government had recommended a CBI probe in the matter. After department of personnel and training issued a notification, the case was taken over by the CBI on Friday.Former state health minister A A Khan, Karti Chidambaram, son of former Union minister P Chidambaram and Ravi Krishna, son of former Union minister Vayalar Ravi, Sweta Mangal, then CEO of Ziqitza Healthcare, Shaffi Mather, former economic advisor to Kerala chief minister Oommen Chandy and the director of NRHM are also accused in the FIR, a CBI spokesperson said.The FIR was filed on the basis of a probe into a complaint by former Jaipur Municipal Corporation mayor Pankaj Joshi in the Ashok Nagar police station here which was lodged on July 31 last year.The complaint was filed against the co-founder of Ziqitza Health Care Ltd, directors Pilot (now PCC president), Karti, Gehlot, Khan, Mangal, Mather and the director NRHM under sections 420 (cheating), 467 (forgery of valuable security), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), 471 (using as genuine forged material) and 120 (B) (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC.Ahead of the 2013 assembly elections, the BJP had alleged irregularities in the 108 ambulance services and said it would take action if voted to power.The party alleged that the tender for providing ambulances was given to former Union minister P Chidambaram's son Karti P Chidambaram and former Union minister V Ravi's son Ravi Krishna's company Ziqitza Health Care Ltd. Later, the company sold its 60% shares to two foreign companies in a non-transparent manner.The BJP had also alleged that the company was getting undue benefits from the government due to the company directors/promoters and shareholders being the kin of Congress leaders, against whom too a case has been registered.BJP leaders, including Kirit Somaiya, MLAs Kalicharan Saraf, Pramila Kundara and others too had lodged a complaint at Ashok Nagar police station to file an FIR in this case in August 2013. They had also demanded a CBI inquiry.Congress leaders including Pilot and Gehlot have maintained that the case was an attempt to malign and intimidate the party leadership and accused the government of misusing its power.