Kerala gold smuggling case: NIA takes Swapna, Sandeep to special court

The duo were on the run for nearly a week

PTI12-07-2020_000036B Swapna Suresh and Sandeep Nair in NIA custody in Bengaluru on Saturday night | via Onmanorama

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) team probing the sensational Thiruvananthapuram Airport gold smuggling case took Swapna Suresh and Sandeep Nair, second and fourth accused, who were arrested from Bengaluru on Saturday to NIA special court in Kochi. The duo were on the run for nearly a week.

The vehicles carrying the accused entered the Kerala border by 11am on Sunday. Congress workers have held protest demonstrations at various spots along the route. Police had to resort to mild lathi charge to disperse the protesters gathered outside the NIA office.

They were brought to the District Hospital in Aluva for medical checkup and COVID-19 test at 1pm. They arrived at the NIA office in Kadavanthra, Kochi, at 2:30pm. At 4:30pm, they were brought to NIA special court to be presented before the magistrate. Tight security arrangements were made at the court premises.

swapna-outside-aluva-hospital The NIA vehicle carrying Swapna Suresh outside Aluva hospital | Josekutty Panackal

After the interrogation by NIA, they might be handed over to the Customs department for further probe.

The duo and the probe team had crossed the Walayar checkpost in two cars. But Swapna was shifted to the car carrying Sandeep after the other car ended up with a flat tyre near Vadakkanchery in Thrissur district.

Swapna and Sandeep were arrested around 7pm on Saturday from a service apartment in Koramangala in Bengaluru by an NIA team from Hyderabad. Their passports and Rs 2 lakh were also seized from them. They were later questioned at the NIA’s office in Domlur in Bengaluru.

Swapna went into hiding on July 5 after a diplomatic baggage addressed to the UAE Consulate and containing 30kg of gold worth Rs 14.8 crore was seized by Customs officials at the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport.

P.S. Sarith, a former PRO at the UAE Consulate, who was dealing with the baggage on behalf of the UAE Consulate in Thiruvananthapuram, was arrested earlier. He had confessed to Swapna’s involvement in the case.

The investigators got to know about Swapna’s location by Saturday afternoon after her daughter switched on the phone. The NIA passed on the information to its Hyderabad unit.

Swapna Suresh, a former employee of the UAE consulate, worked as a consultant in the Space Park project under the Kerala State Information Technology Infrastructure Limited (KSITIL). She was sacked after her name surfaced in connection with the smuggling case.

CM Pinarayi Vijayan said an inquiry will be held into the complaint on the alleged fake degree certicate submitted by Swapna for securing appointment in a government project under the state IT department.

The state government has also removed senior IAS officer M. Sivasankar, who was the secretary to the chief minister and the IT secretary, following allegations that he had close links with Swapna.

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