Kerala kingpin blames CM, Speaker for wrong-doing
TRIVANDRUM: Investigators say the kingpin in the sensational Kerala gold smuggling case had confided the role of chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and speaker P Sreeramakrishnan.
The customs commissioner Sumit Kumar submitted the statement quoting Swapna Suresh in the ongoing dispute with the state prisons authorities over her security.
The report filed in the High Court says she had made “shocking revelations” about the chief minister, speaker and some ministers and “illegal monetary transactions.”
Endorsing her claim that she might be killed in jail as she knows too much, it quotes her statement to the magistrate on her relations with the top officials.
She also “stated with clarity” about the smuggling of foreign currency “at the instance of the chief minister and the speaker.”
She also “clearly stated about the improper and illegal activities” and “the involvement and the kickbacks received by high-profile persons from various deals.”
She “was a witness to the same” as she was forced to act as the translator” between them and persons of Middle East origin in all their crucial interactions.”
Her statement “exposes highly illegal, improper and immoral activities by the above- said persons who are occupying high offices,” Kumar’s report says.
The Customs officials say the authorities under the state government were hence preventing them from questioning their detainee confidentially in the prison.
The ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist) accused the federal agencies of acting with political intentions weeks ahead of the state elections on April 6, in which pollsters predict a comeback for Vijayan.
An official who does not want to be identified said they took the confessional statement months back but the investigation slowed as the speaker was not cooperating.
“In her petition (to the magistrate), she submitted that she apprehends torture and threat to her life in the prison,” it says.
She was intimidated by identifiable people while she was in judicial custody and warned her of dire consequences if she revealed the names of high-profile people involved.
The statement recorded by the judicial first class magistrate in Kochi further stated that there was a threat to her family members also.
She was arrested on “specific intelligence” in connection with smuggling of huge quantities of gold misusing diplomatic channels after the seizure of 30 kg on June 30.