Customs arrests Kerala CM's ex-aide M Sivasankar in dollar smuggling case

In more trouble for suspended bureaucrat M Sivasankar, he was arrested by the Customs on Thursday in connection with the dollar smuggling case. The Customs (Preventive) Commissionerate moved a plea in the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate's (Economic Offences) Court in Ernakulam seeking its permission to arrest Sivasankar. His arrest was recorded at a jail in Kochi where he is currently lodged under judicial custody since his arrest by the Customs and the Enforcement Directorate in cases related to gold smuggling.

The current 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. Swapna Suresh and Sarith PS, the prime accused in the gold smuggling case are also allegedly involved in the dollar smuggling case. Earlier, Sivasankar's judicial remand in the gold smuggling case registered by the Customs was extended till February 2. 

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

Read: Kerala Gold Smuggling: NIA Files Chargesheet Against 20 Accused; M Sivasankar Not Named

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. 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.

Read: Select 7 Chats In ED Charge Sheet Shows Sivasankar Tried To Evade Questions Of Probe Team