Sachin Pilot, Karti Chidambaram deny allegations in emergency services scam, challenge Vasundhara Raje

JAIPUR: A contract for operating ambulance services lie at a scam in Rajasthan.

Tuesday’s FIR filed in a Jaipur against sons of senior Congress leaders for alleged complicity in the ‘scam’ claimed that the Ashok Gehlot government awarded a contract for running the ambulance service by bending terms of the contract to benefit Ziqitza Healthcare, which had Sachin Pilot, Karti Chidambaram and Vayalar Ravi’s son Ravik Krishna as directors.

According to the FIR and claims of former mayor of Jaipur and complainant Pankaj Joshi, it all began in 2008 when an emergency ambulance service for accident victims was started under the National Rural Health Mission by buying five ‘108 ambulances’ which were run by a private company named MRI.

The FIR said that after Gehlot came to power, the MoU with the private company for running the services was scrapped and Ziqitza Healthcare was given the contract. Rs 300 crores was spent on this scheme and number of ambulances had shot up to 691.

Responding strongly to the accusations, the company as well as Pilot and Karti Chidambaram denied the allegations and criticised the FIR and the Vasundhara Raje government.