KOCHI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday arraigned five more persons as accused in the Kerala gold smuggling case. Four of them are currently in the UAE and the NIA plans to approach Interpol to trace them.
The five are Mohammad Aslam, 44, Wandoor, Malappuram; Abdul Latheef K, 47, Vengara, Malappuram; Nazirudheen Shah alias Nasru, 32, Codacal, Malappuram; Ramzan Parancherry alias Sabu Pullara, 36, Pullara, Pookattur, Malappuram and Mohammed Mansoor PS alias Manju, 35, Kallarutty, Omassery, Kozhikode.
Except for Mohammad Aslam, all the other accused persons are in the UAE and the agency has approached the NIA court to issue a non-bailable arrest warrant against them.
"The accused persons are required to be secured for investigation in this case and a Blue Notice will be issued through Interpol," the NIA said in the court.
With the inclusion of these five, there are 35 accused persons in the case registered by the NIA. "These persons are active in sending gold through various channels including diplomatic baggage used by other accused persons in the case. The names were revealed during the interrogation of an accused person recently. Currently, nine persons are still absconding abroad," sources said.
The NIA is interrogating Mohammad Aslam and his arrest is likely to be recorded soon. The NIA has so far arrested 21 persons in the case. The gold concealed in the diplomatic baggage arrived at Thiruvananthapuram on June 30 and it was opened on July 5. A total of 166 kg of gold was sent through the channel on 21 occasions since November 2019.