KOCHI: After the diplomatic consignment containing gold was seized, KT Rameez, mastermind behind the smuggling, assured first accused Sarith PS all help including to use his influence in Delhi. This was revealed in the report filed by the customs as part of invoking COFEPOSA charges against the other two accused, Swapna Suresh and Sandeep Nair.
The consignment arrived at the Thiruvananthapuram airport on June 30. On July 4, Sarith and Sandeep were at Tana apartment complex in Thiruvananthapuram as customs refused to release the diplomatic baggage containing gold and UAE Consulate attaché Rashid Khamis Alshemeli was asked to appear at the airport on July 5 morning.
“Rameez convinced Sarith that the customs could file a Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act (COFEPOSA) case at the most, under which the latter could be jailed for six months. He also assured Sarith that he would bear all expenses for legal procedure and pay him a handsome remuneration. Rameez said he had been once charged under COFEPOSA but came out of jail after six months. He also promised that if the authorities seized Sarith’s passport, he would use his Delhi connections to get it released,” stated in the COFEPOSA report. Sarith agreed to these conditions and Rameez told him to not mention his and Sandeep’s names as only if he was outside, he would be able to fulfil Sarith’s requirements. Later, they decided to tell the name of Faisal Fareed if caught. A story was cooked up that Sarith was asked by Faisal to bring some materials for his personal use and that the latter had told him that he would send someone to collect the same.
UAE consulate and influential Malayali
Attache Rashid, who was in charge of the UAE Consulate in the absence of the consul-general, told Swapna that the customs had no authority to open the cargo without the permission of the UAE ambassador, who was not in India at the time. “Later, Rashid contacted the UAE Embassy in New Delhi and he was instructed to not allow the examination of the cargo and intimate the customs that the cargo should be either released or sent back,” the report said. On July 3, Sarith and Rashid went to meet customs assistant commissioner Ramamoorthy.
“However, the cargo was not cleared and Rashid was very angry and called Swapna over the phone and asked her to use her powers to throw Ramamoorthy out from the customs unit because he had insulted Rashid.” Rashid had received an assurance from the ambassador that the cargo would be sent back. On July 4, the consul-general called Swapna from the UAE and assured her that the cargo would be sent back. “From the consul-general’s words, she could understand that he was aware of the concealment of gold in the cargo. Rashid intimated Swapna that the ambassador had deputed an influential Malayali who was capable of managing all such underground activities,” stated the report.
Sarith’s ties with customs officer
When the diplomatic baggage containing the gold was held back in Thiruvananthapuram airport, Sarith and Sandeep were at Swapna’s house and they were getting live updates about the developments and Rameez was informed about these by Sandeep. “Sarith knew customs officers at the Air Cargo Complex, Thiruvananthapuram, and on July 2 evening, Sarith got a call from a customs assistant commissioner named Vivekananda. The two discussed about the hindrance in clearing the cargo concerned. Vivekananda called Sarith again and gave him the telephone number and email address of the chief commissioner,” stated in the report.