KOCHI: A state government institution Kerala State Centre for Advanced Printing & Training (C-apt) has come under scanner in connection with gold smuggling case after Customs and National Investigation Agency (NIA) found that the office of UAE Consulate General was in constant touch with C-apt functioning under chairmanship of Higher Education Minister K T Jaleel.
Highly placed officials, privy to the probe, told TNIE that the agencies had sought details on C-apt’s association with the office of the UAE Consulate General in Thiruvananthapuram.The agencies are seeking information about the couple of visits made by a Consulate vehicle to C-apt office at Vattiyoorkavu in state capital.
“The agencies want details on the visits made by the Consulate vehicle and also about some literature which were reportedly printed at the unit,” said an officer.“It’s suspected that a few parcels were also delivered by the Consulate office at C-apt’s office and it had something to do with the Ramzan kits which were supplied in Malappuram and Thavanur assembly constituency represented by Jaleel. We are verifying certain details with the staff of C-apt,” said a Customs officer.
C-apt’s link to the case has put Minister Jaleel again in a tight spot as he had already courted controversy when Call Data Records (CDR) of the main accused Swapna Suresh revealed calls made between Jaleel and Swapna.
There were nine calls and an SMS between the two in which Jaleel had called Swapna eight times while she called him once.Jaleel had given an explanation that the calls were made in connection with the distribution of food kits from the UAE Consulate.