KOCHI: The ED suspects that key information about the K-FON project was leaked by M Sivasankar to Swapna Suresh to pass it on to Unitac Energy Solutions, a sister company of Unitac Builders, to bid for the project.
Similarly, ED claims that a close relative of Swapna was working in one of the companies which are part of the Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) consortium that was awarded the K-FON project.According to ED sources, an attempt was made for Unitac Energy Solutions to bid for the project. The company has experience in setting up and maintaining mobile towers for telecom companies in different parts of the country.
“Though Unitac withdrew from the bid after finding that the project was not feasible for it, we suspect that accused persons were expecting huge kickbacks from the project. However, the investigation is on regarding the tender granted to companies under BEL consortium,” an ED source said.Similarly, ED suspects the role of Swapna’s close relative who was working in a company that is part of BEL consortium.
“The company has an office in Thiruvananthapuram and we suspect that he got a job in the company through Sivasankar’s connection. Sivasankar’s link with the company is under investigation. We will question that person in this regard,” said the ED source.
The ED also suspects that Hyderabad-based Punnar Industries, which was awarded the tender for constructions under the LIFE Mission project in seven districts in the state, has links with Swapna.The probe in this regard is in the early stage and the MD of Punnar Industries will be asked to appear before the agency for interrogation.
UAE Consulate staffer not a diplomat: Customs
Kochi: The customs on Thursday filed a report at the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (Economic Offences) Court in Kochi that Khalid, a former finance head of UAE Consulate in T’Puram, was just an employee, not a diplomat. The report was filed in the case of smuggling out $1.9 lakh from the T’Puram airport to Cairo in Egypt in August 2019. According to the customs, Egyptian national Khalid was only an employee of the UAE Consulate and he did not enjoy any diplomatic immunity under the Geneva Convention. He has to be arraigned in the case related to smuggling out US dollars from T’Puram to Cairo. Similarly, a non-bailable arrest warrant should be issued to request the Interpol to issue a Red Corner Notice against him. The investigation revealed that Khalid was receiving a portion of the commission for various projects by the UAE Consulate, Thiruvananthapuram, and he was dismissed from service after smuggling of gold via the diplomatic channel surfaced in July this year. The court decided to hear the customs’ arguments on Monday.