India in touch with UAE on probe into Kerala gold smuggling case: MEA
Jul 16, 2020
New Delhi [India], July 16 : The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday said that India is in touch with the UAE authorities regarding the probe into the Kerala gold smuggling case.
"We are in the touch with UAE authorities regarding the investigation into this matter," MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said on being asked 'if the attache at UAE Consulate in connection to Kerala gold smuggling case came to Delhi on Sunday and has now left the country.
A top diplomat of the UAE Consulate in Thiruvananthapuram has returned to his country. The political leadership in Kerala has blamed the Centre for allowing the diplomat, an attache in the UAE consulate, to leave the country at a time when a probe is underway in the Kerala gold scam case.
As per media reports, the development came shortly after two more people were arrested by the investigating agencies in the Kerala gold smuggling scandal earlier today.
On July 7, the authorities in UAE have launched an investigation into the gold smuggling case to find out who sent the cargo containing gold to the address of UAE Consulate in Thiruvananthapuram.
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.
"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," it added.
On Sunday, 30 kg gold concealed in diplomatic baggage was seized at the Thiruvananthapuram international airport here by the Customs Department.
Swapna Suresh, who was employed in Space Park and Kerala State Information Technology Infrastructure Limited (KSITL), is on the run after the seizure of gold at the airport while Sarith Kumar, who had earlier worked as a PRO in UAE Consulate-General's office, has been arrested.
KSITL comes under the IT department, a portfolio held by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. She was ousted after being named as an accused in the gold smuggling case.
M Sivasankar, who was Chief Minister's Principal Secretary and served as IT secretary, has been removed from both the posts.
