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5kg gold, ₹3 lakh cash seized from ‘secret chamber’ in Kerala raids: ED
Besides ED, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Customs department are investigating the gold smuggling case in Kerala
NEW DELHI:The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has seized 5kg gold worth ₹2.51 crore and over ₹3 lakh cash from a ‘secret chamber’ from premises linked to a Malappuram-based jewellery house promoter, who is an alleged beneficiary of the Kerala gold smuggling case, the agency said on Wednesday.
The seizures were made during the agency’s searches at four premises including that of Aboobacker Pazhedath, promoter of Malabar Jewellery and Fine Gold Jewellery in Malappuram and the Kozhikode premises of Atlas Gold Super Markets Pvt Ltd, it said
Besides ED, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Customs department are investigating the gold smuggling case in Kerala, in which gold worth ₹15 crore was allegedly seized from the diplomatic baggage of the UAE consulate at Thiruvananthapuram airport on July 5, 2020.
Aboobaker Pazhedath could not be reached for his comments on the raids and the agency allegations.
In a statement on Wednesday, ED said “Aboobaker Pazhedath of Malappuram is part of the gold smuggling syndicate headed by Sarith P S, Swapna Suresh and Sandeep Nair, under the patronage of IAS officer M Sivasankar (former principal secretary to Kerala chief minister) and was one of the beneficiaries.”
“Out of the smuggled gold seized by the Customs on 05.07.2020, 3 kg gold belonged to Aboobacker Pazhedath,” it claimed, referring to the seizure of 15 kg gold by the customs department in July 2020.
The agency said Pazedath allegedly told them during questioning that he had earlier smuggled 6 kg of gold through the diplomatic baggage of the UAE consulate in the past.
“The amount for buying the said smuggled gold was raised from his business firms (Malabar Jewellery, Fine Gold & Atlas Gold Super Markets Pvt. Ltd.). Discreet enquiries have found that Aboobacker Pazhedath was still indulging in gold smuggling-related activities through his firms,” the ED alleged.
It added that searches were conducted at these companies as well as the residential premises of Pazhedath that resulted in the recovery and seizure of 5.058 kg of gold worth ₹2.51 crore “secreted” in a chamber along with Indian currency of ₹3.79 lakh.
Sarith and Suresh, ex-employees at the UAE consulate in Kerala, Sandeep Nair and IAS officer Sivasankar were arrested by ED in the case and a charge sheet was filed against them under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Earlier this year, ED approached the Supreme Court seeking a transfer of the trial in the case from Kerala to Karnataka, saying a “free and fair trial” of the case is not possible in the former state.
