NIA to investigate Kerala airport gold smuggling case
MHA gives nod for probe; one of the accused, Swapna Suresh, moves anticipatory bail petition
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has given the go ahead to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to investigate the Thiruvananthapuram airport gold smuggling case. The decision came a day after Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan petitioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi for an “effective and coordinated” investigation by “all Central agencies concerned” regarding the seizure of gold by Customs officials on July 5. “The MHA permits the National Investigation Agency (@NIA_India) to investigate the Thiruvananthapuram Airport Gold smuggling case, as the organised smuggling operation may have serious implications for national security,” a tweet by the Home Ministry spokesperson said. The 30kg gold concealed in imported plumbing material was seized by the Customs officials upon inspection of an air cargo consignment addressed to the Consular General of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). One of the suspects, Swapna Praba Suresh, has moved an anticipatory bail plea claiming she is innocent. She was an employee of the consulate until the government appointed her as a marketing liaison officer of
the Space Park project under the IT Department’s Kerala State Information Technology Infrastructure Limited. In her plea, she mentioned that though she had resigned from the Consulate, she was still working as secretary on “request basis” in view of the COVID19 situation. The Customs officials had named her as a “suspect and person of interest.” Earlier, the State government removed M. Sivasankar from the post of Secretary to Mr. Vijayan as he had come under the scanner after the Opposition attempted to associate him and, by extension, the CM’s Office with Ms. Suresh.‘Ready to testify’ Meanwhile, investigators said a senior official at the
consulate of the United Arab Emirates in Thiruvananthapuram had hinted that he might be willing to testify before a magistrate. He reportedly claimed the documents produced by one of the mission’s former employees to clear the air freight that contained 30 kg of contraband gold valued at ₹15 crore were forged. The UAE official has also doubted the authenticity of the signatures on the papers submitted by the former staff for Customs verification. He denied the consulate had sanctioned the import. The Customs probe has pivoted on some former employees of the consulate who periodically undertook chores for the mission on a “request basis”.
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