Special NIA court grants permission to customs dept to interrogate accused in gold smuggling case
Jul 22, 2020
Kochi (Kerala) [India], July 22 : The Special NIA Court in Kochi has granted permission to the Customs Department for interrogating Swapna Suresh and Sandeep Nair, the accused in the gold smuggling case.
Meanwhile, Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) leader NK Premachandran raised allegations against the chief minister's office stating that they are fully engaged in the scam.
"The IT fellow Arun Balachandran and Swapna Suresh all are being appointed by the state government by the CM's office. And these persons are alleged to have been engaged on gold smuggling. So, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has the moral responsibility that his office has abetted the offence of gold scam," Premachandran said.
One more person was arrested today in the high-profile gold smuggling case, according to the customs officials. The arrested person has been identified as Hamzath Abdu Salam, who hails from Manjeri in Malappuram district.
The matter came to light after 30 kg of gold worth Rs 14.82 crores smuggled in a consignment camouflaged as diplomatic baggage was busted by the customs in Thiruvananthapuram on July 5. The NIA is probing the matter.
Three key accused -- Sarith PS, Swapna Suresh, and Sandeep Nair -- are currently under NIA custody.
