Updated 5.20pm with PN statement

The new operator of three hospitals in Malta this morning said it categorically denied all media allegations of wrongdoing against its director Ram Tumuluri.

These relate specifically to allegations that Mr Tumuluri is wanted or is being investigated for fraud or of pending cases in relation to past business ventures.

"Vitals Global Healthcare regularly carries out due diligence investigations on all its executives and directors. To date, all due diligence carried out on Mr Tumuluri has been clean, and contains none of the aforementioned allegations."

VGH has entered into a 30-year agreement with the government to run three hospitals in Malta - Gozo General Hospital, Karin Grech Rehabilitation Hospital, and St Luke’s Hospital. The Nationalist Party said that the contracts were riddled with "coincidences" which "stank" of corruption.

Vitals said this morning that before any allegations are levelled in public, fact checking and basic due diligence rules should be observed, rather than plainly repeating unsubstantiated accusations from questionable sources leading to reputational damage for people and organisations.

Mr Tumuluri will continue to play a pivotal role as director within the organisation, contributing to VGH’s continued growth and success in the world of health delivery.

"VGH remains focused on the task at hand; that of improving healthcare delivery for the benefit of all the people of Malta and Gozo and now considers this chapter closed."

Nobody can deny facts - PN

The Nationalist Party this evening produced a document from the supreme court of British Colombia in Canada saying it proved that Mr Tumuluri was implicated in fraud. 

Nobody can deny the fact that the hospitals' agreement was signed just two days before the go-ahead for secret accounts to be opened in Panama by the same individuals who negotiated the deals, the PN said. 

It was also worth pointing out that Mr Tumuluri was already negotiating with the government before the tender was released, it said.

Nobody yet knows who is behind Vitals Global Healthcare, the PN said in a statement.