As Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan came under fire in the gold smuggling case involving the former PRO of the UAE consulate and Swapana Suresh, now, Vijayan has asked PM Narendra Modi to intervene in the matter immediately and said that the case undermines the ecountry's conomy.
In a letter to the PM, Vijayan wrote, "I invite your kind attention to the seizure of about 30 Kg of gold by the Customs Officials Trivandrum International Airport on July 5, 2020."
Kerala CM added that "The fact that the attempt to smuggle huge quantity of gold was concealed in diplomatic baggage makes the matter extremely serious. It is learnt that customs officials are conducting inquiry into the incident. The case has serious implications as this undermines the economy of the Nation."
"In fact, it has more than one angle warranting a thorough investigation. It is requested that an effective and coordinated investigation into this incident by all central agencies concerned is the need of the hour. "
"The scope of the probe should cover all aspects from the source to the end utilization. Every link of this crime should be unravelled so that such incidents do not recur. I assure you that the State Government will provide all necessary assistance and support to the agencies involved in the investigation. I request your immediate intervention for an effective and coordinated investigation into this crime," he added.
Earlier, custom officers at Thiruvananthapuram international airport seized 30 kg gold worth Rs 15 crore from a consignment meant for the Consulate of the United Arab Emirates in the city. The main accused, a woman identified as Swapna Suresh, is currently absconding after calls for her arrest.
According to a reports, another person, identified as Sarith Nair, also involved in the scandal, was an employee of the consulate. The report added that Nair, a former Public Relations Officer at the consulate, used a fake identity card to collect the bag that had the smuggled gold. While Sarith was arrested, information about Swapna’s role as the kingpin came during interrogation.
Moreover, the Congress-led UDF and BJP-led NDA on Wednesday demanded Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's resignation and a probe into the gold smuggling case allegedly involving a woman working in the IT Department. Congress said a CBI investigation was needed in the case.