Kerala Gold Smuggling Case: Swapna Suresh files petition against Customs officials, media
Oct 19, 2020
Kochi (Kerala) [India], October 19 : Swapna Suresh, a key accused in the Kerala Gold Smuggling Case approached Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Court (Economic Offences) in Ernakulam seeking stringent action against the officials responsible for "leaking" her statements to the Customs and the media that published or aired it.
She raised serious allegations against the central agencies also in the petition.
''The statement of Swapna Suresh allegedly recorded by Customs under section 108 was produced and kept in sealed cover before this court. Swapna had not given any voluntary statement while in the custody of NIA or the Customs. The content of the so called statements are the fanciful imaginations of Customs, which is far away from the truth., the petition stated.
"The alleged statement of Swapna running to more than 30 pages were created while she was under tremendous stress and in a depressive mood after about 16 days of police custody. She was subjected to sustained interrogation by NIA and Customs. The so called statements were not read over to Swapna nor a copy of the statement was given to her," it said.
Swapna has a specific case that she was "mercilessly tortured and harassed mentally and emotionally by various central agencies on cooked up allegations to satisfy their political big bosses in New Delhi", the petition read.
"The alleged statements kept in a sealed cover by this Court were widely published in many print as well as visual media. It is understood that some officers attached to the Customs had leaked the so called statement to the press and published/aired it. This wilful conduct of the media and the officers amounts to criminal contempt of this Court," Swapna stated in the petition.
The delinquent officers who leaked the information and the media persons who has had printed/published/aired the same very well knew that these documents are confidentially kept in a sealed cover under the safe custody of this Court. By this wilful conduct they have interfered in the administration of justice and lowered the majesty and prestige of this court, it added.
"Deterrent action may be taken against the delinquent officers and the irresponsible media who had published or aired the above alleged Sec. 108 statements of the petitioner in blatant violation of the mandates of the Supreme Court," the petition further read.
Swapna Suresh, who was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on July 11 has been in judicial custody since then.
