The bail application of Swapna Suresh, a key accused in the high-profile Kerala gold smuggling case, was dismissed by the Kochi National Investigation Agency Special Court on Monday, March 22.
Swapna had filed the bail petition in the gold smuggling case registered by the National Investigation Agency. The agency has named Swapna Suresh, Sarith PS, and KT Ramees as the prime accused in its charge sheet in the scam.
The Kerala gold smuggling case pertains to the smuggling of gold in the state through diplomatic channels. It had come to light after 30 kg gold worth Rs 14.82 crore smuggled in a consignment camouflaged as diplomatic baggage was busted by the Customs in Thiruvananthapuram on July 5, 2019.
During the probe of the Kerala gold smuggling case, the dollar smuggling case came to light. The case pertains to the smuggling of $1.9 lakh by UAE Consulate employee and Egyptian national Khalid Ali Shoukry through the Thiruvananthapuram airport in August 2019.
The accused, while seeking the bail, had submitted that they had been in the custody for long and the investigation in the case was over. They had also argued that the charges levelled against them would not stand the test of law.
Swapna Suresh has made "shocking revelations" against Chief Minister Pinrayi Vijayan, assembly Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan and some ministers with regard to dollar ''smuggling'' involving UAE consulate officials, the Customs, probing the case, had earlier claimed in the Kerala High Court.
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