KOCHI: After landing in a controversy over the alleged commission gained from the LIFE Mission housing project, the UAE Consulate in Thiruvanthapuram including its Consul General has come under a shadow for allegedly smuggling out foreign currencies from the Thiruvananthapuram airport on several occasions.
In the Occurrence Report (OR) filed at the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (Economic Offences) court in Kochi, the Customs has mentioned the alleged involvement of diplomats in smuggling out foreign currencies in huge quantities.
According to the OR report, Egyptian national Khalid All Shoukary, the finance head of the Consulate, had traveled to Dubai via Muscat on August 7, 2019. During his trip, Swapna Suresh and Sandeep Nair, the two key accused in the Kerala gold smuggling case, had accompanied him, it said. "The main purpose of the trip was to facilitate Khalid in the hassle-free clearance at Thiruvananthapuram airport during the security check. Khalid was carrying 1.90 lakhs US dollars by concealment inside his handbags," the report said.
As per the OR, Swapna stated to Customs that Khalid himself screened the handbag many times in an X-ray machine available at the Consulate in the presence of Sarith to ensure that the concealment doesn't get detected at the airport. "Sarith used his connection at the airport to facilitate them for smooth clearance without any interruption," the report said.
It is also stated in the OR that Swapna told Customs about similar illegal acts involving the UAE Consul General and other diplomats. "On many previous occasions Consul General Jamal Al Zaabi and Admin Attaché Rashid Khamis Ali Musaiqri had smuggled out a huge amount of foreign currency by concealing them in their bags in the same manner. Sarith had facilitated them during security checks for their departure to the UAE. Swapna had mentioned that some other staff working at UAE Consulate are aware of the illegal export of foreign currency by these foreign nationals during their trip abroad," the report, a copy which The New Indian Express accessed, said.
The Customs also found that a large quantity of Indian currency was exchanged and foreign currencies were procured illegally at Thiruvananthapuram. Swapna and Sarith abetted the procurement of foreign currencies and its smuggling by the diplomats including the Consul General himself.
The Customs had registered a separate case over the incident. After recording the statements under the 108 section of the Customs Act, Swapna and Sarith turned respondents in the case. The Customs department has requested the court to permit it to arrest Swapna and Sarith.