Mystery over role of mins in Swapna’s deals deepens
Higher education minister KT Jaleel finds himself in deeper trouble as the state protocol office, responsible for permitting imports through diplomatic baggage, clarifies it has not issued any such permission during the last year. Customs, NIA and the Enforcement Directorate are probing the use of government vehicles belonging to an establishment under Jaleel’s ministry for transporting a packet, weighing over 4,000 kg, which, according to the minister, contained Quran imported from the UAE through diplomatic channels.
The investigators are looking at the possibility of the packet being used for smuggling gold or other questionable material. The import took place during the Ramzan month. But the protocol office has clarified no permits had been issued to the UAE consulate in the last year for the import of diplomatic cargo.
The clarification makes it clear Swapna Suresh and company had been getting gold smuggled through diplomatic channels. Customs cleared either on the basis of forged documents or without producing any documents at all. To make things more complicated for KT Jaleel, the import of Quran, which is not eligible for Customs clearance, had occurred in the same manner and during the suspicious period.
Jaleel had been constantly in touch with the UAE consulate, including Swapna Suresh, in connection with the distribution of food packets during Ramzan, which the minister wanted to be organised in his constituency, far from the state capital, where the consulate is located. Jaleel’s ministerial colleague, AC Moideen, minister for local self-government, is also facing heat over his involvement in the construction of houses for floodhit people using money provided by the UAE charity Red Crescent.
Opposition parties have alleged the involvement of Moideen in the deal and claim he is one of the recipients of commission as construction of houses as part of relief is the responsibility of his ministry.