Kerala gold smuggling: CM Vijayan should clarify govt's stand, says V Muraleedharan

Opining on the Kerala gold smuggling case, Union Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan on Wednesday said that the incident is being viewed seriously with utmost attention by the Central government and assured that strict action will be taken against those found guilty. On July 5, 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.

Muralidharan questioned the role of Kerala government led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in the case and urged it to issue a clarification for the people of the state.

"The smuggling issue that has come up in Thiruvananthapuram using the guise of UAE Consulate is being viewed seriously with utmost attention by the Government of India. The government has taken the required steps to find out the culprits. Everyone who is associated with this crime will be brought to book. Nobody should have any doubt about it," Muraleedharan said at a press conference.

The Minister also criticised Kerala chief minister over his stance on the issue. "There are many unanswered questions in the case to which the state government has to find answers and tell the people," the minister said.

Officials to crack the entire chain of crime in 2 days

Officials said that Sandeep, the partner in crime with Sarith, is on the run but the department is hopeful that they will be able to crack the entire chain of crime in 2 days. Meanwhile, late-night raids at the flat of Swapna Suresh continued as Police took charge of CCTV footage from the building.

The UAE Embassy in India on Tuesday said that the authorities had launched an independent investigation into the gold smuggling case. The Embassy said that the culprits have not only committed a major crime but also "sought to tarnish the reputation of the UAE mission in India" and they will not be spared.

Kerala gold smuggling racket

On July 5, 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 Kumar, 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.

The case took a political turn after photos with Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan surfaced. It has been alleged that Swapna has links with the CM and has been seen with him at parties when she was working at the UAE Consulate. Following the backlash over her appointment, she was sacked by the state government. Moreover, Principal Secretary to CM M Sivasankar has been replaced after his role in hiring Suresh came under the scanner.

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