Function in CMO held in 2017 had prime accused in gold smuggling taking part: Source

Highly placed sources in Customs have told Republic TV that on May 26, 2017, a programme was held in connection to the distribution of dates to children which were reportedly received as 'gift' from UAE president.

The probe team is checking the details of the programme as they believe the prime accused in the gold smuggling scam, including Swapna were part of it. The function was held in the CMO office. 

Three local media members were also present during this event, as per the source, "The event was held in the CMO office. An official PRD release was reportedly sent on it. But some of the participants in these events, the customs suspect, who are part of the gold smuggling, may have been present.

Republic TV went through photographs in an English newspaper that was published. It shows Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Jamal Hussain Al Zaabi, the UAE Consulate General, distribute dates to children representing various institutions under the Social Justice Department at the CM’s office. Swapna Suresh is seen in the photograph along with Pinarayi Vijayan's then private secretary MV Jayarajan who is currently the Kannur CPI(M) secretary. M Sivasankar who was the joint secretary to CM was also present. 

"We are probing whether the conspiracy for using diplomatic channels to smuggle was hatched at the CMO office," said the official.

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Gold hidden in date fruit imports? 

Earlier, it was reported that in the last three years, 17000 kgs of dates were brought in through the UAE consulate. The date fruit import was also seen with suspicion as even in the consignment that was seized with gold had dates inside it.

As per the top placed source, the customs have been tracking and getting details of this particular event that was held in connection with the distribution of 40,000 packets of dates to children in special schools from the UAE president.

They had taken the statement of T V Anupama IAS who was the director of the Social Justice Department and its secretary Biju Prabhakaran.

The customs subsequently questioned the State Protocol department and found that no protocol was followed in importing dates to be distributed. The large scale dates arrival,  flouting protocols is seen with suspicion by the team.

The source also revealed that 17 members of the State Protocol department are hand in glove with the CMO office in covering up the procedure followed and are not providing convincing answers. 

However, the team has collected the newspaper reports of the same, the officials have taken statements from reporters of three prominent media groups based in Kerala.

"Newspaper reports cant be taken as evidence as it is edited. However statements of reporters of the media groups have been recorded," said the source.

 It is also understood that the probe team have collected photographic and video evidence from the media groups and this event could become a crucial evidence to prosecute more influential people in the state.

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