Raje orders ambulance scam probe

FIR names Gehlot, Pilot

The CBI is expected to investigate the ambulance scam in Rajasthan. Chief minister Vasundhara Raje has given her assent to a proposal by the CID ( CB).

Former chief minister Ashok Gehlot, PCC president Sachin Pilot and the children of some senior Congress leaders, including former finance minister P. Chidambaram’s son Karthi and Vayalar Ravi’s son Ravi Krishna, have been named as accused in the FIR, which was registered on a local court’s instruction.

Former state health minister A. A. Khan, Kerala chief minister Oommen Chandy’s former economic adviser Shafi Mather, Ziqitza Healthcare’s then CEO Shweta Mangal and then director, National Rural Health Mission, have also been booked in the case.

BJP leader and former mayor of Jaipur Pankaj Joshi had alleged irregularities in awarding contract to Ziqitza Healthcare and further alleged financial irregularities of ` 2.56 crore by the company, which had received the contract to run the service for three years during the Congress rule.

Both Mr Chidambaram and Mr Vayalar Ravi’s sons were directors in the company. DGP Omendra Bhardwaj said, “As the matter involved former Union ministers and their relatives, and also Central government officers, a CBI investigation had been recommended.”

According to sources, after the chief minister’s approval, the state home department will send the request to the Centre to hand over the case to the CBI on Tuesday.

Mr Gehlot has accused the BJP government of political vendetta, saying there was no substance in the allegations.

However, parliamentary affairs minister Rajendra Singh Rathore refuted the charge. “There was no political vendetta in initiating the investigation into the scam,” he asserted.

Mr Pilot already served a legal notice to the BJP leader immediately after the FIR was registered.