Former Secretary Customs Appears In Kerala Gold Smuggling Case
Former secretary Customs appears in Kerala gold smuggling case, the decision on bail plea of Swapna Suresh secured. Suspended IAS officer M. Shivshankar appeared before Customs in a sensational Kerala gold smuggling case.
The commissioner of Customs (Prevention) has questioned Shivshankar twice before coming to know about his contact with Swapna Suresh, the main accused in the gold smuggling case.
Meanwhile, Kochi’s premier sessions court reserved judgment on the bail application of the main accused Swapna Suresh. The court will give its verdict on October 13 on the bail application.
Several central investigative agencies, including the National Investigation Agency (NIA), Customs and Enforcement Directorate (ED), have been conducting separate investigations since the seizure of 15 crore gold from diplomatic baggage at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport on July 5.
Shivshankar is the former Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
Central investigative agencies have arrested two former employees of the UAE Consulate in Thiruvananthapuram, Swapna Suresh, and Sarit P.S. ED are involved in a money trail investigation in the smuggling cases.
The ED has said that a thorough investigation of Shivshankar is necessary, as he had arranged for the locker to be opened for Swapna Suresh. In the nationalized bank, the locker was used to hide the profits from Swapna smuggling.
The ED has given this information in the interim charge sheet filed in the special court on Tuesday regarding the PMLA case against the three accused, including Swapna, Sarit PS, and Sandeep Nair.
Gold worth Rs 31.21 lakh seized at Kannur Airport
On the other hand, the Air Intelligence Unit (AUI) at Kannur Airport seized gold from a passenger who arrived here from Dubai. Gold worth Rs 31.21 lakh was seized from the passenger, an official said on Thursday.
Commissioner of Customs (Preventive) Kochi said that the Air Intelligence Unit of Kannur Airport seized 615 grams of gold worth Rs 31,21,145 from a passenger who arrived on a Go Air flight from Dubai. After this, the passenger has been arrested and further investigation is going on.
