FIR filed against Ashok Gehlot, Sachin Pilot and others in ambulance scam

JAIPUR: Rajasthan police today filed an FIR naming 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 crores in operating '108' ambulance service during the previous Congress regime.

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 also figured in the FIR, investigating officer Sawant Singh told reporters.

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 Healthcare Krishna, 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.

The case has been referred to CB CID for investigation as it involves elected representatives, including Gehlot who is an MLA, Singh said.

Reacting to the development, Gehlot said such decisions (of awarding a tender) were not taken at the chief-ministerial level but Pilot dubbed the allegations defamatory. He described the action by the BJP government as malicious and motivated. Others could not be reach for their comments.