PALAKKAD: KT Ramees, one of the masterminds in the gold smuggling case through the Thiruvananthapuram airport, was on Tuesday brought to Kongattupadam on the Kanjikode-Malampuzha road by forest department personnel as part of evidence collection in connection with the killing of three sambar deer by a hunting group.
The evidence collection lasted about one and a half hours. There was tight security when Ramees was brought to Kongattupadam and also at the divisional forest office where he was put up.
The incident happened in 2014 and a case was registered by the forest department in this connection. Ramees was the fifth accused in the case. While all the four accused were arrested and presented in court, Ramees had failed to be present before the forest department personnel.
Forest department personnel said that Ramees used to deal in the sale of horns and skin of wild animals. It is said that he would recruit locals for the purpose and then sell the meat and other parts of the animals elsewhere.
Forest personnel from Walayar had earlier sought permission from the NIA court to record his arrest which was granted.