Published 12:21 IST, July 8th 2020
Kerala Gold Smuggling racket gets fresh suspect; customs sure of cracking case in 2 days
In the Kerala gold smuggling case, Customs officials investigating the case on Wednesday named another suspect, Sandeep along with others who are absconding
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In the Kerala gold smuggling case, the Customs officials investigating the case on Wednesday stated that a person named Sandeep, involved along with Sarith Kumar and Swapna Suresh is absconding. Sources said that Sandeep's wife has been summoned by the Customs in Ernakulam and is been questioned.
Officials to crack the entire chain of crime in 2 days
Officials said that Sandeep, the partner in crime with Sarith, is on the run but the department is hopeful that they will be able to crack the entire chain of crime in 2 days. Meanwhile, late-night raids at the flat of Swapna Suresh continued as Police took charge of CCTV footage from the building.
The UAE Embassy in India on Tuesday said that the authorities had launched an independent investigation into the gold smuggling case. The Embassy said that the culprits have not only committed a major crime but also "sought to tarnish the reputation of the UAE mission in India" and they will not be spared.
'Culprits will not be spared'
"The authorities in the UAE have launched an investigation to find out who sent the cargo containing gold to the address of the UAE consulate," the UAE Embassy in New Delhi said in a tweet.
The authorities have stressed that the culprits who not only committed a major crime but also sought to tarnish the reputation of the UAE mission in India will not be spared. We remain committed to cooperating with Indian authorities in getting to the root of the crime.
— UAE Embassy-Newdelhi (@UAEembassyIndia) July 7, 2020
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Kerala gold smuggling racket
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. Following the backlash over her appointment, she was sacked by the state government. Moreover, Principal Secretary to CM M Sivasankar has been replaced after his role in hiring Suresh came under the scanner.
Kerala CM responds to controversy
Addressing the media on Tuesday, Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan ruled out the connection of the state government to the gold smuggling case. Stating that all airports are working under the Centre, he said that the state governments cannot do anything. He also claimed that Swapna Suresh has no connection with the Chief Minister's Office and the IT Department, adding that she was recruited through a placement agency.
11:57 IST, July 8th 2020