Kerala Gold Smuggling racket: Two more arrested after NIA access connecting documents

In yet another development in the Kerala Gold Smuggling racket, two more persons have been arrested by the customs in connection with the case. Both of them hail from Malappuram. Muhammad Anwar TM, a native from Manjeri, and Saidalavi E, a native from Vengara has been arrested by the customs during the early hours on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) which is now assigned the case, has confirmed that the bag that was confiscated from Bengaluru when Sandeep Nair and Swapna Suresh were arrested had documents which mention the various financial dealings which are prima facie dubious in nature. There was also a laptop and a diary that points towards few gold dealers and gold investors with whom Sandeep Nair and Swapna Suresh had close connections. The documents also mentioned those who had paid money to Sandeep and Swapna.

READ | Kerala Gold Smuggling Case: NIA Raids KSITIL Office Where Swapna Suresh Worked

READ | Kerala Gold Smuggling Case: NIA Gets Permission To Open Bag Retrieved From Sandeep Nair

The Kerala Police submitted a two-page report to NIA making shocking revelations. The state police has identified the Koduvally area of Kozhikode district as the 'hub of gold smuggling'. It also highlighted in the report that over 100 kgs of gold have been smuggled in and out along with Rs 1000 crore of hawala transactions in the past one year. The report also mentioned that women and children are recruited for the purpose of smuggling by agents; however, it didn't mention any specific names or groups in its report.

The report also reiterated NIA's suspicion of the money and gold smuggling being used for terror activities by extremists and communal groups. The report comes nearly a day after key accused and former Principal Secretary to the Kerala CM, M Sivasankar was grilled by the Customs in the pertaining matter. Swapna Suresh, the key accused of the Gold Smuggling Racket, was employed by Sivasankaran in Kerala State Information Technology Infrastructure Ltd ( KSITIL).

The Customs raided the residence of Sivasankar last week and also obtained some CCTV footage from various places where he met Swapna Suresh and her crime partners in the last few months. The Customs also have gathered a copy of call records between both of them. Various questions regarding the appointment of Swapna Suresh and including her dubious fake education certificates were also asked according to the sources and whether someone recommended her for this job of operations manager in the government based KSITI Ltd. The neighbours of Swapna Suresh have also seen Sivasankar visiting the residence of Swapna Suresh and the CCTV footage which the wing has gathered also has proved that.

The role of top government officials cannot be ruled out due to which Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is also facing the heat since the whole smuggling allegedly happened under his nose, which has made the opposition parties demand his resignation.

READ | Gold Smuggling Case:Kerala IAS Officer Appears Before Customs

READ | Kerala Gold Smuggling: Chief Secy To Probe Link Between Accused & CMO, CM Assures Action