Kerala gold smuggling case: ED summons 'middleman' Shaj Kiran to appear in Kochi court

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned Shaj Kiran to appear before a court in Kochi for questioning on July 5, 11 am. He has been accused of being a middleman in the case, asking the prime accused in the case Swapna Suresh to take back the allegations levelled against Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Significantly, Suresh had alleged that Kiran, who is considered to be close to CM Pinarayi Vijayan, had reached out to her to withdraw the accusations she had submitted against CM Vijayan pertaining to the Gold smuggling case, before the Kochi court. 

"My client is willing to cooperate with the investigation and ready to appear before the investigation officer," said Shaj Kiran's Advocate E A Jose in a reply to ED on July 4. 

Swapna Suresh claims to have received death threats

Swapna Suresh on July 3 said that she has been receiving death threats for accusing the Kerala CM and his family of being involved in the gold smuggling case, forcing her to take her statements back. This is after Suresh accused the CM and family of being involved in the gold smuggling case, before a court in Kochi on June 7. Following Suresh's submissions before the court, the Kerala government had appointed a 12-member team to probe the veracity of the 164 statements she had made alleging the involvement of the CM, his family and Minister K T Jaleel in the case. 

"No matter how many more cases come up against me, I'll not withdraw my 164 statements. The CM is strongly connected with Shaj Kiran. They sent him to my office and now they've registered another case against me," she said on June 14.

Kerala gold smuggling case

The case came to light after a diplomatic package having 30 kgs of gold was smuggled and caught by the customs department in Thiruvanathapuram on July 5, 2020. Swapna Suresh, who was then working with the UAE consulate, alleged that the former Kerala Principal Secretary Sivasankar had asked her to send the baggage, which belonged to Vijayan, to Dubai. However, when the package was brought to the consulate, it was found to be filled with currencies and the gold smuggling business had begun from then.

The case is being currently probed by the customs department, NIA and the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

Image: PTI