Customs personnel on Sunday seized over 30 kgs of gold contained in a ‘diplomatic baggage’ that was meant for Consulate of the United Arab Emirates in the city, at the Thiruvananthapuram airport. Swapna Suresh, a former staff working as an operational manager at the UAE consulate in the city is alleged to be the kingpin of the crime syndicate behind this failed bid to smuggle gold.
On Thursday, an audio clip was released by TV channels in Kerala, wherein, Swapna Suresh, had threatened to commit suicide if the media did not stop indulging in ‘character assassination’, which she alleges has destroyed her ‘reputation’. In the audio clip, she also claimed that she is currently hiding as she fears for her life.
The voice clip said, “I have no role in the smuggling of gold through diplomatic baggage. A day after the baggage arrived, a diplomat in the consulate called me and inquired about the delay in its clearance. I then called Customs AC Ramamurthy and asked him about the delay. He told me that he would take up the matter. I used to work as the secretary to the consular. I have never spoken to anyone for my personal needs. I am no more an employee there. Still, I have helped them in their works until the last Sunday. One might wonder why I got involved in the matters of the consulate when I was a contract staff of Space Park. That is because of my love for the UAE where I was born and brought up.” She added that, “If any such thing happens to me, the media will be responsible for it”.
Swapna had been previously working as the liaison officer of Kerala government-owned Space park in Thiruvananthapuram and had recently been fired. She had been faking identity as a staff member of the UAE Consulate and had made over 10 calls to officials in the State Government. Swapna has also sought anticipatory bail from the Kerala High Court using a fake identity. It is believed that her political connections had been aiding her in freeing people like actors who were involved in smuggling gold under the pretext of going to UAE for programmes. However, she has maintained that her contact with various political leaders was strictly professional.
It is important to note that Sarith, who along with Swapna is said to be spearheading the smuggling racket through the consulate has a brother named Sandeep. Sandeep is seen as the Benami of Swapna. His mother had told the media that he is a member of the CPI-M.
Sandeep had been working at a timber shop and had made quick money mysteriously enough to open an automobile garage, which was inaugrated by Kerala Assembly Speaker and also attended by Swapna. Sandeep had previously been arrested in 2014 for smuggling gold.
It is said that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan Office had contacted Customs officials to let Swapna off the hook when they had begun to zero in on her. Shortly afterward, the Principal Secretary was removed from the Chief Minister’s office. On Tuesday, M Sivasankar was removed as the principal secretary to Kerala Chief Minister, after the senior IAS official was found in the close network of the alleged key player of the smuggling racket.
This has sparked speculations about the involvement of Pinarayi Vijayan and other CPI-M leaders in the case, especially since the Principal Secretary M Sivasankar removal. Speaker of the Kerala Assembly P Sreeramakrishnan’s name has also been dragged into this episode.
However, CM Pinarayi Vijayan has denied these allegations and has said that he was prepared for any investigation in connection to this case. He had even written to the Centre asking for a probe by central agencies.
The case so far
A containment of gold, which was part of diplomatic cargo from the United Arab Emirates, reached Trivandrum International airport on Sunday (July 5). This cargo had been listed as bathroom fittings, packaged foods, and dates, which had been sent from Al Zatar Spices, a company based in Sharjah. Notably, the customs had already been tipped off about gold concealment. Upon getting tipped off by the Consulate about Sarith, Customs officials denied the release of the consignment and decided to examine it in the presence of the Consulate officials. They uncovered 30 kilograms of gold in this consignment, following which Sarith was arrested.
Sarith Nair, who is under the Customs Department’s custody, has confessed that gold had been smuggled at least 15 times. On several occasions, the agencies have issued a lookout circular against the key players in the smuggling. He further added that celebrities had also been used for this purpose. But many suspects reach Kerala after crossing the India-Nepal border by road upon landing in Kathmandu airport.
It is suspected that this could have also been used to fund terror activities.
Further investigations in the coming days is expected to reveal more about the entire case.