Sivasankar is a 'traitor', says Kerala minister

In a scathing attack on suspended IAS officer M Sivasankar,a state minister on Monday described the bureaucrat as a "traitor".

"He is a traitor and should be punished as per the Constitution", PWD minister G Sudhakaran told the media here.

After his close links with some accused in the gold smuggling case surfaced, Sivasankar was removed as Principal secretary of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan,and IT secretary and was later suspended.

Action was taken against him after allegations surfaced that he had links with the woman accused in the case relating to the attempt to smuggle gold in diplomatic baggage through the International airport here.

The Customs had seized over 30 kg of gold on July five.

Sivasankar has been questioned by the National Investigation Agency, CBI and the Enforcement Directorate in connection withthe case and his association with the accused in the case was an "inexcusable crime", Sudhakaran said.

The former IT Secretary deservesnosympathy, Sudhakaran said, adding he was appointed to the Chief Minister's Office owing to the trust reposed on him.

"What he did was an unpardonable crime".

Attacking the Opposition Congress led UDF and the BJP, the minister said they had beencontinuouslytargetingthe Chief Minister during the holy Ramayana month.

However, they were not able to raise even a single corruption charge against Vijayan, Sudhakaran pointed out.

LDF convener A Vijayaraghavan said the government has taken all action against Sivasankar for his lapses.

Meanwhile, the Enforcement Directorate told a court in Kochi that Sivasankar had travelled thrice to the Gulf countries with Swapna Suresh, the key accused in the Kerala Gold smuggling case during 2017 and 2018.