New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed a chargesheet against Ravi Krishna, Director of Ziqitza Health Care Pvt Ltd and the son of former Union minister Vayalar Ravi, its CEO and others in connection with alleged corruption in the operation of ambulances in Rajasthan after three years of probe.
“Chargesheet has been filed against Ravi Krishna , Director of Ziqitza Health Care Ltd, based in Mumbai; Sweta Mangal, the then CEO of the company; Amit Antony Alex, the then employee of the company and the said company before the competent court in Jaipur on allegations regarding the operation of ambulances in Rajasthan,” a CBI spokesperson said.
The accused have been charged under IPC sections 420 (cheating), 466 (forgery of record), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), and 471 (using as genuine a forged document).
The initial FIR in the case was filed by the CBI in 2015 and had named former chief minister Ashok Gehlot and alleged directors of the company, Congress leader Sachin Pilot, Karti Chidambaram (son of former Union Minister P Chidambaram), Ravi Krishna (son of former Union Minister Vayalar Ravi), Ziqitza Health Care, Mangal, the then health minister of the state Duru Mirza and the Director of the National Rural Health Mission.
However, the chargesheet filed after three years of investigation does not name them as accused.
The officials said the investigation is continuing and further chargesheets will be filed on the basis of evidence which may be gathered in the course of time.
After filing of the FIR, Pilot had said he had resigned from the company in late 2002 or early 2003 (before he became MP) when it decided to become a for profit company from the non-profit venture as he was associated with it only for social cause.
The CBI has claimed that the period of the alleged crime is between 2010 and 2013.
It was alleged that the terms and conditions of the ambulance tenders were changed and tweaked to favour the accused company and ensure it was the sole bidder.
It was also alleged that due to irregularities in the execution of an ambulance service in Rajasthan, the company made an illegal profit of about Rs 23 crore.
The case was first registered by the state police and later transferred to the CBI upon Rajasthan government’s request.
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