The Patna High Court, on Friday, rendered null and void a contract amounting to INR 1,600 crore assigned to Pashupatinath Distributors Private Limited (PDPL), a company managed by the familial relations of Jehanabad MP Chandeshwar Chandravanshi from JD(U). This newspaper had previously reported in June how the Bihar government, disregarding High Court observations and overlooking audit red flags, extended the contract for another five years to Chandravanshi’s kin for running emergency ambulances. This was despite added clauses allowing for a three-year extension.
The contract, granted to PDPL on May 31, encompassed the operation of 2,125 ambulances under the Dial 102 service, designed to transport critical patients, pregnant women, and infants to government hospitals without charge. Chandravanshi’s family members own PDPL, and while he asserted no personal involvement, official records scrutinized by The Magadh Today revealed adjustments to norms amidst objections during the issuance of the Request for Proposal (RFP) on April 5, 2022.
The disqualified PDPL faces disqualification due to its failure to meet the RFP conditions regarding annual turnover. The High Court directed the State Health Society of Bihar to reevaluate and reconsider the bid of the petitioner consortium, BVG India Ltd, and Samman Foundation, from the technical bid stage. PDPL’s disqualification stems from its failure to adhere to the RFP requirements, and the reevaluation process is expected to conclude within two months, according to the court’s directives.
The disqualification of PDPL, a company with familial ties to a sitting MP, underscores the necessity for transparency and adherence to contractual norms in public procurement processes.
