KOCHI: After ignoring two notices from the customs probing the case related to smuggling of US dollars by a former employee of the UAE Consulate, Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan’s additional private secretary (APS) K Ayyappan turned up for interrogation on Friday.
His interrogation lasted for over nine hours and the customs will summon him again after investigating the revelations in his statement. Ayyappan reached the customs office in Kochi around 9am though he was summoned to appear only at 10am. The interrogation continued till 7.30pm.
“He was asked about his association with UAE diplomats, consulate employees, accused persons Swapna Suresh and Sarith P S. We have to carry out more investigation into his suspected involvement in the case.
Customs to seek legal opinion on quizzing
T’PURAM: The sleuths asked him about Sreeramakrishnan’s association with Swapna and Sarith. It was revealed that Sreeramkrishnan knew both very well. The customs will seek a legal opinion on interrogating the speaker. The agency summoned Ayyappan for interrogation after Swapna and Sarith said he was aware of currency smuggling channel using UAE diplomats in their confession statements.
They had said some influential persons in the state handed foreign currencies to diplomats who carried it to the UAE concealing them in pieces of their baggage as their bags were not checked due to diplomatic immunity. Ayyappan did not turn up for interrogation on Tuesday and Wednesday. The legislative assembly secretary also wrote to the customs saying that Ayyappan could be questioned only with the speaker’s permission. However, the customs decided to go ahead without the speaker’s consent after receiving legal opinion in this regard.