Knesset Member Yaakov Litzman (United Torah Judaism) was questioned under caution on Thursday evening on suspicion of breach of trust committed in connection with financial fraud that involved the Health Ministry and the National Insurance Institute (NII). Litzman was questioned at the offices of the Israel Police's Economic Crimes Unit, Lahav 433, for two and a half hours.
The police are investigating a decision to equip vehicles for the use of individuals with disabilities – with funding from the NII – contrary to a decision by the Medical Institute for Road Safety at the Health Ministry. According to the allegations, the company that provides the equipment bribed officials at the Health Ministry to move forward with the decision.
Litzman is suspected of involvement in a decision to install equipment in one of the vehicles included in the probe.
Ten people were arrested in connection with the fraudulent deal, which is thought to have totaled NIS 20 million. A top Health Ministry official was among those detained.
Last week, the Knesset Finance Committee Chairman Nissan Slomiansky (Habayit Hayehudi) was questioned on suspicion that he bought votes ahead of Habayit Hayehudi’s primary elections. The National Fraud Investigation Unit questioned him for six hours.
Slomiansky's attorney Rachel Toren said that he was “happy for the opportunity he has been given to provide [authorities with] all the details concerning this matter and clear, once and for all, the cloud surrounding the primary elections in the party. He trusts the police and state prosecutor and hopes that in doing so the affair is finally over.”
The investigation was opened in December 2012, after vote contractors from Habayit Hayehudi claimed that they were paid to supply thousands of votes for Slomiansky during the party primaries. Some of the money was apparently transferred to assist a yeshiva in Ra'anana, where one of the contractors worked.
No comments:
Post a Comment