: Leader of the Opposition V.S. Achuthanandan has demanded a CBI investigation into alleged corruption in the running of the 108 ambulance service in Kerala as had been done in Rajasthan.
In a statement here on Saturday, Mr. Achuthanandan said the Comptroller and Auditor General had pointed to irregularities and corruption in the running of the ambulance service by Zigitsa Healthcare, the company that had bagged the contract. The CBI investigation in Rajasthan is against the same company and among the accused are the former State Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, PCC president Sachin Pilot, former Union Minister P. Chidambaram’s son Karthi Chidambaram, and former Union Minister Vayalar Ravi’s son Ravi Krishna. In Kerala, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy’s adviser Shafi Mather too had faced allegations in connection with the ambulance service, he pointed out.
Mr. Achuthanandan said the CBI probe was necessary given the multi-State dimensions of the deal and the possibility of powerful persons involved in it succeeding in scuttling the investigation.
