Kerala gold smuggling case: Sivasankar on customs radar in currency probe too

According to the Customs Commissionerate (Preventive) Kochi, $1.9 lakh was sent to the UAe through the Thiruvananthapuram airport last year.
Former Principal Secretary M Sivasankar. (File photo| EPS)
Former Principal Secretary M Sivasankar. (File photo| EPS)

KOCHI:  Former principal secretary M Sivasankar could be in for more trouble with the customs registering a new case related to the alleged smuggling of foreign currency to the tune of $1.9 lakh (Rs 1.4 crore) to the UAE. While Swapna Suresh and P S Sarith, the main accused in the gold smuggling case, are being investigated in the case and could be arrested, the customs has named Sivasankar a “person of interest”, the term the agency uses for key suspects and witnesses.

According to the Customs Commissionerate (Preventive) Kochi, $1.9 lakh was sent to the UAe through the Thiruvananthapuram airport last year. It is suspected that an egyptian who was employed with the UAe Consulate was behind this, with both Swapna and Sarith assisting him. Swapna used her UAe consulate ID card to facilitate the smuggling, it is alleged.

“There is a limit for carrying currencies including Indian rupee while travelling abroad. In this case, it was found that the value of the currency carried to the UAe was much higher than the permitted limit. The offence attracts cases under the Customs Act and the Foreign exchange management Act,” a customs official said.

Exchanged dollars were smuggled to UAE: Customs

Customs has approached the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (Economic Offence) to question Swapna and Sarith after which their arrest is expected to be recorded. After an error was noticed in the first petition, the agency has been asked to make the necessary correction and file the petition again on Monday. Sivasankar was served notice in the currency smuggling case on Friday, it has been learnt. Unlike police cases, Customs never arraigns anyone as accused.

“He’s a ‘person of interest’ for us in this case. After recording his statement, we’ll decide whether to arrest him or not. He was a ‘person of interest’ in the cases related to gold smuggling and import of dates as well. If arrested, he will become a respondent. At the show-cause notice stage, we’ll turn him either as a noticee or witness,” said an official. It is claimed that the manager of bank in Thiruvananthapuram, which provided the American dollars in exchange for Indian rupees, has given a statement to the Customs that could help nail some of the people under investigation.

Investigators suspect that exchanged dollars were smuggled to the UAE. The sum is allegedly received as commission for various projects. The case related to the foreign currency smuggling is the third one to have originated during the probe into smuggling of gold through diplomatic channel. The other two cases are duty evasion in import of copies of Holy Quran and dates.

Sivasankar shifted to MCH following customs order

T’Puram: M Sivasankar, who was admitted to a private hospital here on Friday, was shifted to the Medical College Hospital on Saturday. The customs officers asked doctors to shift him suspecting that he may influence the management to keep him under observation till he gets a bail.

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