Kerala gold smuggling: Fake news factory overdrive to scuttle probe, says Customs official

Top officials in the Customs who have been investigating the Kerala gold smuggling scam through diplomatic channels in the state have called out the fake news factory, whom they accuse of being on an ‘overdrive’ to scuttle the investigation.

On Sunday, local media reported that Customs Assistant Commissioner NS Dev was removed from the investigation team for allegedly leaking the written statement of Swapna Suresh to the media. 

Terming it as fake news, the official stated that NS Dev continues to handle what he was handling. “There is no change in the investigation team," the top source said, exclusively to Republic TV. 

Citing the shortage of officers had led to giving additional charges, the official clarified that certain additional charges which are not connected to the gold smuggling investigation have been reallocated to other officers. 

READ | Kerala Gold Smuggling: Youth Congress Workers Demanding CM's Resignation Cane-charged

Swapna’s leaked statement is fake

A Customs official who is part of the investigation team lashed out against the fake news factory and alleged that “smuggling syndicate and its political patrons are on overdrive to cause misinformation and create confusion by spreading fake news.”

The official said that there has been a scurry of false news that has been doing rounds whose sole aim, they suspect, is to confuse the public.

The official also confirmed to Republic TV that the so-called handwritten statement by prime accused Swapna Suresh which has caused huge controversy and became the prime-time fodder for many local media channels is fake. “This letter is a product of fake news factory,” he affirmed.

READ | Kerala Gold Smuggling: Judicial Custody Of 3 Accused Extended; ED Summons More People

The handwritten statement, which leaked to the media last week, had mentioned the role of a journalist of a local news channel. The three-page letter allegedly written by Swapna purported a political connection and that he had advised prime accused Swapna Suresh an escape strategy to retrieve the consignment that was caught by the customs.

The CPI(M) state machinery which was otherwise in the backfoot ever since June after a slew of scandals broke out had come out with all guns blazing, accusing the BJP to be the real culprits behind the gold smuggling.

Last week, the CPI(M) state secretariat, even stated that the leaked letter adds strength to the suspicion whether Union Minister V Muraleedharan was giving out indirect instructions to the accused. Republic TV tried contacting NS Dev but he was unavailable to comment.

Meanwhile, the Customs official stated that these disinformation tactics won't affect the investigation. “The anti-national elements and their patrons will be brought to justice. We are focused on the job,” the official said.

A prominent Malayalam News Channel, which was the only channel that received an audio tape of Swapna Suresh while she was on a run from central investigation agency in June, has come up with another sensational claim that Customs Commissioner has sought CBI enquiry to find how written statement of Swapna has leaked to the media.

Custom officials had earlier denied such leak. The channel's claim has been refuted by Customs Commissioner (Preventive), Sumit Kumar. "I have not sent any such letter to CBI or any other agency," he told Republic TV. Many top officials in the Customs have also raised the concern of fake news being broadcasted in local news channels without any verification.

READ | Kerala Secretariat Fire: BJP, Congress Claim Gold Smuggling Case Proof Destroyed By Govt

READ | Kerala Secretariat Fire: Chennithala Writes To Guv Alleging Links With No-trust Motion