Thiruvananthapuram
Investigations by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) have revealed that the Swapna-Sarith-Faisal gang had smuggled 230 kg of gold from Dubai through the diplomatic channel.
Of this, only one consignment of 30kg was intercepted, while the investigators are in pursuit of the rest.
In fact, before the clandestine plan was put into operation, the gang had sent a dummy bag in the name of the UAE consulate to see that everything worked smoothly.
The Dubai mastermind, Faisal Fareed, is already in the custody of the Dubai Police and is expected to be handed over to India any time soon.
The investigators have inspected the flat of the attache at the UAE consulate, who has returned to his country, in search of clues. They are trying to ascertain if the suspects had visited the house and have checked the visitor’s register there.
The investigators are also looking at the role of ground handling agencies at the airports in abetting the crime. An ex-employee of Air India Sats, in charge of ground handling, claimed that all the smugglers, with assistance from higher authorities, had planted pliable people in sensitive departments in the airport so that they could smoothly manage the racket.
Customs has decided to question a former vice-president of Air India Sats, who has reportedly been in league with the operators.
Meanwhile, the mystery about the gunman of the consul general, who attempted to commit suicide, has deepened further with the revelation he had accompanied Sarith to collect the contraband. The NIA sleuths suspect his active involvement in the operation.
The man’s appointment as the gunman itself is under a cloud, with the state police DGP reportedly ordering his extension in violation of the protocol, which required him to take approval of the external affairs ministry.
More accusations are flying in all directions, with the state BJP leaders alleging that the Dubai-based Faisal had close connections with certain film directors and producers, who allegedly used proceeds from the smuggled gold to produce movies, some of which eulogised the Left and the government.
