Cochin port comes under scanner as Kerala gold smuggling probe expands

Central agencies found that on April 2 a cargo shipment was cleared at Cochin port without check and Customs officials said they were pressured by some influential people to release it.

Investigators probing the Kerala gold smuggling case suspect the yellow metal was also smuggled into the country through Cochin port even as the National Investigation Agency (NIA) heading the investigation sought legal opinion to charge arrested bureaucrat M Sivasankar under the Unlawful Prevention Activities Act (UAPA).

A senior official said investigators have sought details of all recent shipments from Persian Gulf countries from Cochin port authorities and Customs.(HT Archive)

During investigation, central agencies found that on April 2 a cargo shipment was cleared at Cochin port without check and Customs officials said they were pressured by some influential people to release it.

“We have information that some shipments were released without mandatory check. Some of the accused inteh gold smuggling case had visited the port on several occasions and they used their proximity with the higher-ups to get the shipments released,” said a senior official, who did not want to be named. He also said that clearing officials and agents will be questioned soon.

He said details of all recent shipments from Persian Gulf countries have been sought from port authorities and Customs. The central agencies are also planning to probe some of the former officials of the Cochin Port Trust and Customs.

The senior official said more information emerged after retrieving vital data from the destroyed phones of some of the accused in the gold smuggling case. Investigators also traced a private phone reportedly used by Sivasankar.

The gold smuggling racket came to light on July 5 after the seizure of 30 kg of yellow metal from a consignment addressed to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) consulate in the state capital. Thirty-four people have been arrested so far in the case.

One of the alleged key funders Rabins Hameed was extradited from the UAE last month and another key suspect Faizal Fareed will be brought from the UAE next week, the official said.

The NIA is also planning to slap the UAPA against Sivasankar, former secretary to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Smuggling was included in the list of anti-national activities with an amendment to the UAPA last year.

Meanwhile, the Enforcement Directorate raided the Uralungal Labour Co-operative Society headquarters in Vadakara north Kerala on Monday and sought details of some of the works being carried out by the society. It is learnt that the raid was in connection with the ongoing investigation against the CM’s additional private secretary C M Raveendran. But society president Ramesan Paleri said it was not a raid and officials were given details that they sought. The Labour Co-operative Society which is involved in construction business, is very close to the ruling CPI(M) and most of its office-bearers are party workers.

The ED is also planning to summon Raveendran in a couple of days, the official said. He was summoned last month but he could not appear before the central agency after he tested positive for Covid-19.