Kochi: Sapna Suresh and PS Sarith, accused in Kerala's gold and dollar smuggling case, have made a big revelation to the customs department. The accused have told the customs department that Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan was scheduled to carry a bundle of dollars during his visit to UAE in 2017. This information was given by PS Sarith to the customs department. According to PS Sarith, Swapna had called him. On the phone, after CM Vijayan left for UAE, Sarith had said that the chief minister had forgotten to carry a packet with him and the consul general wanted you (Sarith) to take it with him.

Sarith said a general administration department personnel had handed over the packet to him at the secretariat. Curiously, Sarith put the packet in the X-ray machine and found out that the packet contained currency and some other things. According to the Customs Department, former consulate employee PS Sarith had made a statement in this regard in October last year. In fact, while the customs department was investigating the gold smuggling case, the department was illegally informed by Former Consulate Financial Head Khaled Mohammad Al Shoukri about US$ 1,90,000 (approximately Rs. 1,40,96,100 Indian).

At the same time, the Customs Department had issued show-cause notices to six persons on 29th July 2021 last month in connection with the illegal export of dollars, mentioning the claim against CM Vijayan. Six persons including Shoukri, Sarith, Swapna Suresh (then Executive Secretary in the Consulate), and former Principal Secretary of Vijayan P Shivshankar have been asked to file their replies within 30 days before the verdict is pronounced on the basis of evidence in the case. Swapna is also accused in the gold smuggling case.

CM of Manipur Biren Singh flags off Europe bound consignment of Black Rice

128 children, 8 BSF personnel among 576 new COVID-19 cases in Mizoram

Lok Sabha Session: PM Modi, Sonia Gandhi share smiles at Speaker’s meet