THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Crime Branch will on Monday formally start the preliminary probe into the leak of a voice clip purportedly from Swapna Suresh, key accused in the gold smuggling case via diplomatic channel. A special investigation team, which will be constituted on Monday, is expected to record Swapna’s statement this week itself.
As part of this, a request letter will be dispatched to DGP (Prisons) Rishi Raj Singh for sanction to record Swapna’s statement at the Attakulangara women’s prison here where she is presently lodged.
The Crime Branch can commence an investigation only after registering an FIR and this means Swapna has to be interrogated to get details about the clip.
Meanwhile, a police source said the Crime Branch will have to approach the local court to question her as she is jailed after customs slapped provisions of the COFEPOSA (Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities) Act.
State police chief Loknath Behera ordered a crime branch probe on Saturday after the ED sent a request letter to the Prisons Department seeking a probe into the episode.
In the audio clip, the voice — claimed to be that of Swapna — is heard saying the ED officials had offered to make her an approver in the case if she deposed against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.