Kerala Gold Smuggling case: NIA gets permission to open bag retrieved from Sandeep Nair

Days after taking over the Kerala Gold Smuggling case,, Special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court on Wednesday granted permission to the investigating agency to open the bag of Sandeep Nair, an accused in the Kerala gold smuggling case. The NIA had retrieved the bag from Sandeep when he was taken into custody from Bengaluru.

Earlier, on Tuesday, the interrogation of the two accused -- Swapna Suresh and Sandeep -- in the Kerala gold scam was underway at the NIA office in the city. The NIA special court in Kochi on Monday had sent Suresh and Nair to NIA custody for eight days until July 21 in the gold smuggling case.

Meanwhile, three more people were arrested, Hamjath Ali, Mohd Shafi and Jalaal by the Customs department in connection with the gold smuggling case, after the questioning of Sivasankar. All three will be produced before the magistrate Court in Ernakulam on Wednesday. No details on their background have come to light yet.

READ: Kerala Gold Smuggling case: NIA moves CBI to issue Blue Corner Notice against key accused

Chief Secy probing links to CMO 

CM Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday informed that the state Chief Secretary is conducting a probe into the connections of the CMO with the case. Vijayan added that Chief Secretary Vishwas Mehta is probing the call records as well which reveal that the former principal secretary to the CM had made calls to the key accused in the smuggling. The Chief Minister also stated that the appointment of accused Swapna Suresh in the IT department is being probed as well. 

Chief Minister Vijayan has stated that once the investigation panel headed by the Chief Secretary submits its report, the government will then take appropriate action. 

READ: '100 kgs of gold smuggled, Rs 1000 cr of hawala in 1 year:' Kerala Police's report to NIA

NIA continues investigation

The NIA had taken over the case after Centre's nod on July 9. The investigative agency will probe whether the gold smuggling was linked to activities detrimental to national security. The agency has slapped various sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 against the accused — Sarith Kumar, Swapna Suresh, Fazil Fareed, Sandeep Nair — in the case. Swapna Suresh and Sandeep Nair have been sent to NIA custody for eight days. NIA has moved the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to issue a Blue Corner Notice against Faizal Fareed. 

(With inputs from ANI)

READ: Kerala Gold Smuggling: CM's ex-Principal Secretary grilled for 10 hours, 3 more arrested

READ: Kerala gold smuggling: Chief Secy to probe link between accused & CMO, CM assures action