Published 18:12 IST, July 14th 2020
Kerala Gold Smuggling: Cong calls for CM Pinarayi Vijayan's resignation, seeks CBI probe
Kerala opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala led Congress party's protest at Neyyattinkara on Tuesday, demanding CBI inquiry in the gold smuggling case
Amid the Kerala gold smuggling case, Congress is holding protests across the state and demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Kerala opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala led Congress party's protest at Neyyattinkara on Tuesday, demanding CBI inquiry.
Amidst the protest, Ramesh Chennithala addressed the Congress workers and demanded a probe into the appointment of Swapna Suresh under the IT department.
Chennithala said, "While thousands of qualified youths are waiting for the government job, how did a lady having 10th standard qualification got the job in the IT department with one lakh and seventy thousand salary. A proper probe should be conducted to find out her link with Kerala CMO and M Sivasankar. The CM is protecting the culprits."
Meanwhile, the interrogation of the two accused -- Swapna Suresh and Sandeep Nair -- in the Kerala Gold Scam is underway at the National Investigation Agency (NIA) office in Kochi.
NIA Moves CBI To Issue Blue Corner Notice Against Key Accused
Days after taking over the Kerala Gold Smuggling case, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has moved the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to issue a Blue Corner Notice against Faizal Fareed, a key accused in the case. The application is reported to be under process. The Customs officials had recorded the statement of Fareed, who is currently in Dubai, on Monday. According to Customs officials, they called his friend to contact the accused and recorded his statement. Fareed is a native of Thrissur.
The Blue Corner Notice by the CBI, also known as 'enquiry notices,' is issued in order to verify someone's identity or to obtain particulars of the said individual's criminal record. According to the CBI website, the aforementioned type of notice can also be issued 'to locate someone who is missing or is an identified or unidentified international criminal or is wanted for a violation of ordinary criminal law and whose extradition may be requested.'
Gold smuggling case
On July 5, Customs officials seized 30 kg of gold worth Rs.15 crore at the Thiruvananthapuram Airport from a diplomatic cargo addressed to a person in the UAE Consulate. Sarith Kumar, who worked at the UAE Consulate was arrested in this regard. Reportedly, he told the Customs about the role of Swapna Suresh, an ex-Consulate employee now working as the manager of the Kerala State Information Technology Infrastructure Limited.
The case took a political turn after photos with Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan surfaced. It has been alleged that Swapna has links with the CM and has been seen with him at parties when she was working at the UAE Consulate.
(With ANI Inputs)
Updated 18:12 IST, July 14th 2020