Have nothing to do with ambulance firm: Karti Chidambaram

Booked by Enforcement Directorate on money laundering charges in the Rajasthan ambulance scam, Karti Chidambaram, son of former Union minister P Chidambaram, today said he has nothing to with the firm Ziqitza Health Care Limited (ZHL) which operated the emergency service.
"I am not a director of the company. I was never a shareholder of the company. I was a director till February 24, 2012," he said reacting to the ED case.
ED has registered a criminal complaint and booked former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, PCC leader Sachin Pilot and Karthi Chidambaram and Ravi Krishna, son of senior Congress leader Vayalar Ravi, on money laundering charges.

Earlier, CBI had registered an FIR alleging irregularities in the award of tender of ambulance services in favour of ZHL and in implementation of the project which included "excess bills" claimed by the firm and the payment allegedly directed to the accused.
Karti said he had never been involved in the management of the company. "I was a non-paid independent director of the company and I do not see any reason how I am ever involved in the affairs of the company," he told PTI here.
"I do not know whether it is vendetta or not, when you have famous last names this is all part of the course," he said replying to a question.

"You have prominent political names, it makes sensational news. My last name makes news," he said.

The Congress leader also said he had not received any notice or communication from any statutory authorities.
"Whatever I know is only through the press and do not have any other information."
Meanwhile, in a press release, ZHL said Karti and Pilot never had any stake in the company and claimed it had abided by the processes and procedures laid down by various state agencies with respect to the ambulance services.
"We would like to clarify that neither Sachin Pilot nor Karti P Chidambaram have ever had or currently have any ownership stake in ZHL - either directly, indirectly or by way of beneficial interest at any point in time."

It also said neither of them had taken any remuneration or reimbursement or claimed any expense from ZHL while they served as independent directors of the company.
Pilot and Karti resigned from the Board of ZHL on March 18, 2004 and February 24, 2012 respectively ahead of contesting the Lok Sabha polls, it said.
Claiming that the 108 Ambulance Service contract in Rajasthan in 2009-10 was awarded to it "in an open and transparent tender process," the company said it had always followed the law of the land.
"We have abided by the processes and procedures laid down by various state agencies with respect to ambulance services," ZHL said.