Kerala gold smuggling case: Prime accused Sarith remanded to NIA custody for 7 days

On Friday, a special NIA court remanded Sarith Kumar, the prime accused in the Kerala gold smuggling case to NIA custody for 7 days. Until now, he was in the custody of the Customs Department. Previously, other accused Swapna Suresh and Sandeep Nair were sent to NIA custody till July 21. 

After the NIA took over the case, it registered an FIR against Sarith Kumar, Swapna Suresh, Fazil Fareed, Sandeep Nair, and others. Various sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 were slapped against the aforesaid individuals. The NIA has alleged that the smuggled gold was not used for jewellery purpose but for funding terror activities.

Read: Kerala Gold Scandal: Gunman Of UAE Attache Attempts Suicide; Swapna Suresh Link Emerges

Principal Secretary to CM suspended

On July 5, 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 Kumar, 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.

The case took a political turn after photos with Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan surfaced. It has been alleged that Suresh has links with the CM and has been seen with him at parties when she was working at the UAE Consulate. Following the backlash over her appointment, she was sacked by the state government. On Thursday, Vijayan announced that the suspension of his former Principal Secretary M Sivasankar pending the departmental inquiry. It was reportedly found that he had violated the All-India Services Conduct rules due to his connections with the Thiruvananthapuram gold smuggling accused.

Read: Kerala Gold Smuggling: 116 Calls Between Swapna Suresh And UAE Diplomat, Details Accessed

No-confidence motion

Earlier in the day, Congress announced that it would move a no-confidence motion against the LDF government in the Kerala Assembly. Moreover, senior Congress leader and Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala demanded a CBI inquiry to probe the role of the Chief Minister's Office in the gold smuggling scandal. Maintaining that the CMO is involved in the case, he claimed that Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan was shielding his former Principal Secretary M Sivasankar. Opining that it was better for Vijayan to immediately resign, he stated that the various appointments and contracts in the IT Department, mutual agreements with other agencies, and the role of the CM should be thoroughly investigated. According to him, the Kerala CM must be questioned by CBI and NIA for breaking his constitutional vows.

Read: Kerala Gold Smuggling: Ex-Principal Secretary To CM, Sivasankar Suspended Pending Inquiry