M Sivasankar granted bail in dollar smuggling case; walks free after 98 days in custody

After Kerala CM's ex-aide M Sivasankar was granted bail in the dollar smuggling case, he walked free on Wednesday after spending 98 days in custody. This 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. He was arrested in connection with this case on January 21. As per the order pronounced by the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (Economic Offences) Court, the suspended bureaucrat was directed to furnish a bail bond of Rs.2 lakh and two sureties of the like amount. 

Moreover, he has to appear before the investigative officers of the Customs in Kochi on every Monday. The Customs had opposed his bail plea citing the danger of his intimidating witnesses and claimed that he had tremendous influence even beyond the borders of the country. After the completion of all formalities, he was released from the Kakkanad sub jail. On January 25, he was granted bail in the gold smuggling case registered by the Enforcement Directorate as well as the Customs. 

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

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, 2020, 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 in connection with the gold smuggling case. 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. His links with Swapna Suresh and Sarith PS, the prime accused in the gold smuggling case have been under the scanner of the investigative agencies. As per the ED, Sivasankar asked Suresh and his Chartered Accountant Venugopal to open a joint locker where the proceeds of crime are believed to have been stored. 

Read: War Of Words In Kerala Assembly Over Gold Smuggling In State; Debate Sought & CM Replies