Kerala HC to hear on Dec 2 bail plea of M Sivasankar in gold smuggling case

Kochi (Kerala) [India], November 23 : The Kerala High Court will hear on December 2 the bail application filed by M Sivasankar, former principal secretary of Kerala CMO, in connection with a money laundering case related to the smuggling of gold through diplomatic channels.
Sivasankar, who is currently under judicial custody in connection with a case being probed by the Enforcement Directorate, was arrested on October 28.
Earlier, the ED had submitted that Swapna Suresh, another key accused in the case, has disclosed that Sivasankar and his team at the CMO were fully aware of the gold smuggling.
The economic offences watchdog had, during a court hearing earlier, submitted that it has reason to believe that Swapna Suresh was only a pawn and that Sivasankar was the real beneficiary of the smuggling of gold into the state through diplomatic channels.
Sivasankar, on the other hand, had earlier submitted that he was pressurised to name a few political targets, and added that when he refused to do so, he was arrayed as an accused in the money laundering case related to the Kerala gold smuggling case and was arrested.
The ED has denied these allegations.
Notably, a Principal Sessions Court in Kochi had on November 17 dismissed Sivasankar's bail petition in the money laundering case.
The case, which is currently being probed by the ED, National Investigation Agency and the Customs Department, pertains to the smuggling of gold in the state through diplomatic channels.
The matter had come to light after 30 kilograms of gold worth Rs 14.82 crore, smuggled through diplomatic cargo, was busted by the Customs in Thiruvananthapuram on July 5.