NIA COURT REJECTS SWAPNA’S BAIL PLEA
Accepts applicability of UAPA in Kerala gold smuggling case
The NIA, investigating the case of gold smuggling through the diplomatic channels, won a decisive first round when the NIA court in Kochi accepted the applicability of UAPA in the case and rejected the bail plea of Swapna Suresh, one of the main accused.
Doubts had been expressed earlier whether UAPA would be applicable to case as it was essentially one involving gold smuggling, especially since the investigators have not yet managed to follow the terror trails.
But the NIA persisted with the terrorist angle, taking advantage of the amendment to the Act making economic offences meant to destabilise the nation’s economy as an act of terrorism. The investigators have secured clues on whether the proceeds of the smuggled gold had landed up with people suspected to have terrorist links and informed the court that there was need for further investigations to establish the trail.
The court had asked for the case diary to see if the case satisfied the conditions for applying UAPA and, after detailed examination of the submitted evidences, dismissed the bail plea.
The NIA had cited the woman’s clout with the office of the chief minister and her close connection with M Sivasankar, the former principal secretary of the chief minister and the IT secretary, to argue that granting bail to her would enable her to destroy evidence.
The accused had told NIA the money recovered from her locker was the commission she earned in connection with the state govt’s housing scheme, popularly known as the Life Mission, of which CM Pinarayi Vijayan is the chairman. Tamil Nadu custodial death accused Spl SI dies of Covid A Special Sub-Inspector of Police Pauldurai, an accused in the brutal custodial death of a father and son in Tamil Nadu's Sathankulam died due to Covid-19 early on Monday, police said. Pauldurai tested positive for coronavirus on July 24 while he was lodged at Madurai jail and he was shifted to govt hospital the same day.