Rajasthan Ambulance Scam: ED conducts searches at Ziqitza Health Care premises in Mumbai
The FIR registered by the state government has named Ashok Gehlot, Sachin Pilot, Karthi Chidambaram, Ravi Krishna, Sweta Mangal and Duru Mirza.
After registering a criminal complaint in the Rajasthan Ambulance Scam case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the Enforcement Directorate (ED) took its first action by conducting searches on the premises of Ziqitza Health Care Ltd in Mumbai.
The ED sources confirmed Indiatoday.in that a special team of ED, Delhi had flown down to Mumbai for conducting these searches, which took more than 12 hours on the offices (will continue late night) and residences of Naresh Jain, the managing director of Ziqitza Health Care Ltd.
In September 2015, the ED had registered a PMLA case in this case and booked former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, PCC leader Sachin Pilot and sons of two former Union ministers on money laundering charges.
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The agency had also taken cognisance of the CBI FIR in this regard to register its case under the PMLA and has named Karthi Chidambaram and Ravi Krishna, sons of senior Congress leaders and former Union ministers P Chidambaram and Vayalar Ravi respectively, in the alleged, "108 ambulance scam."
According to the ED, Pilot, Karti and Ravi served as directors of Ziqitza Health Care Ltd (ZHCL), which was awarded the contract for the scheme under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM).
The ED sources said, "Searches took place as Naresh Jain did not appear before ED, Delhi - despite being summoned for questioning. The ED is probing the matter under Prevention of Money Laundering Act after the CBI registered the case under Prevention of Corruption Act.
Currently, the ED, taking cognisance of these facts, suspects that the kickbacks paid in this scam were laundered by some people and used to acquire tainted assets.
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In August 29, 2015, CBI had conducted searches at the residential premises of incumbent directors of Ziqitza Health Care against which a case of alleged cheating was registered by the agency on the recommendation of BJP-ruled Rajasthan government. CBI had searched the houses of present directors of the company Sweta Mangal, Naresh Jain and Ravi Krishna.
In August 2015, the FIR was registered against the then directors of Ziqitza Health Care at Mumbai/Jaipur and others including public servants under section 420 (cheating), 467 (forgery), 468, 471 and 120-B of IPC on the allegations of irregularities in the award of tender in favour of the said firm by deliberately inserting technical specifications and irregularities in the implementation of the project which included excess bills claimed by said firm and paid to them.
The FIR registered by the state government has named former chief minister Ashok Gehlot and alleged Directors of the company Pilot, Karthi (son of former Union Minister P Chidambaram), Ravi Krishna (son of former Union Minister Vayalar Ravi), Ziqitza Health Care, its Director Sweta Mangal, the then Health Minister of the state Duru Mirza and the Director National Rural Health Mission.
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According to the CBI, it has alleged irregularities in the award of tender of ambulance services in favour of a firm Ziqitza Health Care by deliberately inserting technical specifications and irregularities in implementation of the project which included excess bills claimed by the firm and the payment allegedly directed to the accused.
It is alleged that ambulance service of 108 number was set up in erstwhile Vasundhara Raje government which was provided by a company EMR.
The complainant had alleged that when Gehlot government was formed, they found alleged irregularities in the service and recommended that fresh tenders be called for plying ambulances in the state.
CBI had claimed that the terms of tenders were tweaked in such a way, making it mandatory for the ambulances to have GPS among others, that it favoured Ziqitza Health Care making it the sole bidder. They said it is alleged that 450 such ambulances were put in service for 35 districts.