Kochi: A special court for PMLA cases here on Monday granted permission to the Customs to arrest suspended IAS officer M Sivasankar, who is currently in judicial custody, in connection with the Kerala gold smuggling case. The court for Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) allowed the prayer by the Customs, which claimed it has got direct incriminating material against Sivasankar over his 'involvement' in the sensational smuggling of gold using diplomatic channel.

Sivasankar, former principal secretary to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, is presently lodged in a jail here after being arrested by the Enforcement Directorate probing the money trail in the gold smuggling case. "The Customs, during the course of investigation has now been able to get direct incriminating material against Sivasankar of his involvement and being concerned in smuggling of gold illegally which is an offence under the Customs Act, 1962.

According to Customs sources, Sivasankar will be arraigned and arrested in the case after it received statements from the co-accused that he knew about the gold smuggling. "Swapna has given a statement to ED and Customs that Sivasankar knew about her gold smuggling activities. We suspect that he helped her in the act. To get more information in this regard, his arrest has to be recorded and he must be interrogated in custody," said a Customs source.

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