Kerala Gold Smuggling: Minister’s son accused of being hand in glove with accused

Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 14: The BJP has alleged the son of a Kerala minister was very close to Swapna Suresh, an accused in the Kerala Gold Smuggling case.

BJP state president, K Surendran said that the minister's son had received commission for the UAE Red Crescent funded housing project in Kerala. He also angled hat the Kerala police seeks the custody of Swapna two disrupt the probe. It is aimed at sabotaging the probe he also said.

Recently, the NIA conducted searches at the houses of several accused persons in Malappuram and Kozhikode districts. They respective jewellery shops were also searched by the NIA team and several digital devices and incriminating documents were seized.

The NIA has so far arraigned 25 accused in the case of which 20 have been arrested.

The NIA had earlier told a court that the investigation discloses that the accused had earned profit from the offence and proceeds of smuggling could be used for terror funding.

It said the investigation conducted so far revealed that the accused had conspired and sourced gold in large quantities from abroad on multiple occasions earlier and smuggled it through various airports, especially in Kerala.

Investigation has to be conducted abroad and interrogation into roles of high profile individuals and Consulate officials is also necessary to unearth all conspirators in this crime, the NIA said.

It said the accused have used various social media platforms to communicate with co-accused and suspects for committing the offence.

The seized digital devices of the accused have been forwarded to C-DAC Thiruvananthapuram for cyber forensic analysis.

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"Investigation had also revealed the larger conspiracy involving influential people both in India and abroad behind this crime and that the racket has already transported bulk quantities of gold from Middle East through diplomatic baggage and sold it clandestinely to various people, with the intention of threatening economic security of India," the NIA said.