Kerala CM's ex-aide Sivasankar granted bail in gold smuggling cases filed by ED & Customs

On Monday, the Kerala High Court granted bail to former Principal Secretary to CM M Sivasankar in the gold smuggling case registered by the Enforcement Directorate. A single-judge bench of Justice Ashok Menon passed this order. Earlier in the day, Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan's ex-aide was granted bail by the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate's (Economic Offences) Court in the gold smuggling case registered by the Customs. 

He became eligible for default bail as the Customs failed to submit the chargesheet within the 60-day period. However, Sivasankar shall remain in custody as he was arrested by the Customs on January 21 in connection with the dollar smuggling case. This case pertains to the alleged smuggling of 1.9 lakh US dollars by a former finance head of the UAE Consulate in Thiruvananthapuram to Muscat in Oman. 

Read: Kerala Gold Smuggling: CM Pinarayi Vijayan Alleges Customs Threatened State Govt Officials

Gold smuggling case & Sivasankar's arrest

On July 5, 2020, Customs officials seized 30 kg of gold worth Rs.15 crore at the Thiruvananthapuram Airport from a diplomatic cargo addressed to a person in the UAE Consulate. Sarith PS who worked at the UAE Consulate was arrested in this regard. Reportedly, he told the Customs about the role of Swapna Suresh, an ex-Consulate employee now working as the manager of the Kerala State Information Technology Infrastructure Limited. Following the backlash over her appointment, she was sacked by the state government. 

Vijayan announced the suspension of his former Principal Secretary M Sivasankar on July 16 pending the departmental inquiry. It was reportedly found that he had violated the All-India Services Conduct rules due to his connections with the gold smuggling accused. After the Kerala High Court rejected the suspended bureaucrat's anticipatory bail plea on October 28, he was arrested by the ED in connection with the gold smuggling case. While the agency got his remand on three occasions, Sivasankar was finally sent to judicial custody on November 12.

Subsequently, the Customs department arrested him in connection with the gold smuggling case on November 24. His links with Swapna Suresh and Sarith PS, the prime accused in the gold smuggling case have been under the scanner of the investigative agencies. As per the ED, Sivasankar asked Suresh and his Chartered Accountant Venugopal to open a joint locker where the proceeds of crime are believed to have been stored. 

Read: In Kerala Gold Smuggling Case, Court Extends Remand Of Swapna & Other Accused Till Feb 2