Kerala gold smuggling case: Swapna Suresh writes to PM, demands CBI probe

Prime accused in Kerala gold smuggling case Swapna Suresh on Tuesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the smuggling and related incidents

Prime accused in Kerala gold smuggling case Swapna Suresh on Tuesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the smuggling and related incidents.

Prime accused in Kerala gold smuggling case Swapna Suresh on Tuesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the smuggling and related incidents. (PTI)

Suresh stated that said she was made a scapegoat and other accused like the chief minister’s former principal secretary M Sivasankar was leading a normal life as the state government favoured him. She said she was only a junior- level employee in the consulate and her job profile was to obey orders of her superiors but now she was singled out and whole blame was being put on her. She said a probe by the CBI will help unravel the role of many influential ones.

“I was simply obeying orders of my line managers and doing this through the UAE consulate and I had no say in the matters. When it was brought to the light by the customs, they left us stranded behind bars for 15 months for not disclosing anything,” she said adding, Sivasankar was in jail for three months but the state government took a lenient view, got him released and he is back to his job.

“Deprived and unfortunate employees like me will solely be punished, but the real accused will escape from underneath your nose,” she said. She also reiterated her earlier charges against the CM, his family members, senior IAS officers, former ministers and others. She said smuggling through consulate was a serious issue and CBI inquiry will find out the truth in the case. She also requested an appointment with the PM and said her life was in danger after she gave statement under 164 of the CrPC.

“It would be just and fair if the government of Kerala does not intervene in this matter as government officials themselves are prime suspects. Gravity of smuggling case was bigger than Bofors, 2G and other cases,” she said in the letter.

CPI(M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said: “She was a puppet in the hands of a Sangh-controlled NGO now.” She is working with an NGO -- High Range Rural Development Society.

A conspiracy case was slapped on her on June 6 after she gave a confidential statement before a magistrate in Ernakulam. Later she told reporters that “the chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his family members knew about activities revolving around the UAE consulate and heavy biryani pots were taken to his house from the consulate several times.”

Later, former minister K T Jaleel filed a complaint alleging a conspiracy to defame senior leaders of the ruling party and weaken the government. She was booked under Sections 120 B (criminal conspiracy) and 153 (provocation with the intent to cause riot) of the Indian Penal Code on June 8. Later the government constituted a special investigation team under additional director general of police Vijay Sakhre.

The case surfaced on July 5, 2020 when the customs seized 30-kg gold hidden in bathroom fittings in one of the consignments, camouflaged as diplomatic baggage, came to the UAE consulate in state capital. A former employee of the consulate P S Sarith who came to receive the consignment was arrested the same day and after a week, National Investigation Agency arrested Swapna Suresh and her accomplice Sandeep Nair from Bengaluru. Three months after this, CM’s former principal secretary M Sivasankar was also arrested by the ED.