KOCHI: After Swapna Suresh and Sarith PS, the two key accused in the Kerala gold smuggling scandal who made fresh revelations to Customs regarding the involvement of influential persons, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) will interrogate the duo in jail again.
The ED has also decided to fix a date to interrogate CM Raveendran, the additional private secretary of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, after receiving the report of the medical board monitoring his health condition.
The ED approached the Special Court for Prevention of Money Laundering (PMLA) in Kochi on Friday seeking permission to question Swapna and Sarith for three days at the jails where they are lodged.
Swapna and Sarith are undergoing preventive detention under COFEPOSA invoked by the customs against them. Swapna is lodged at Attakulangara Vanitha Jail and Sarith is at Central Prison Pujapura -- both in the Thiruvananthapuram district.
"It is learnt that the involvement of Sivasankar and other high-profile persons in the smuggling of gold as well as foreign currency has come to light following the latest revelations during the custodial interrogation of Sivasankar, Sarith, and Swapna by the customs officers. It has become highly necessary to question Sarith and Swapna to collect vital information," the ED petition said.
The ED has asked permission to let the investigating officer and assistant investigating officer to quiz Swapna and Sarith at jail. "In the interest of justice, it is highly necessary to permit the investigating officer and assistant investigating officer to question Sarith and Swapna for three days at the jail," the petition said.
The court will consider the petition on Monday.
Meanwhile, ED will decide the date to interrogate CM Raveendran after receiving the report of the medical board. As the medical board has suggested two weeks' rest for him, the ED may consider it before issuing the next notice for interrogation. "The recommendations of the medical board will be considered before issuing a fresh notice for interrogating Raveendran. We have not received the report. Once it is received, a decision will be taken," the ED official said.
ED had issued notice to Raveendran thrice to appear for interrogation. However, citing health reasons after contracting Covid-19, he failed to appear before the investigation officer. It was Swapna who gave a statement that Raveendran used to contact for visa stamping and attestation while she was working at UAE Consulate in Thiruvananthapuram.
Raveendran was discharged from the hospital in Thiruvananthapuram earlier on Friday.