THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) continued its inspection at the State Centre for Advanced Printing and Training (C-apt) office at Vattiyoorkavu in Thiruvananthapuram for the second consecutive day in connection with the probe into the transportation of copies of the Quran received from the UAE consulate.
The sleuths seized the GPS recorder after reports that the GPS system was disabled deliberately while the Quran was being transported. There were reports that the vehicle had travelled to Bengaluru. Following this, the NIA interrogated the staff in the office who were involved in the transportation of vehicles to and from the C-apt office. Sources said NIA officers will verify the log books to check the distance covered by the vehicle and the places recorded in the book where the vehicle traveled inside and outside the state.
Earlier, the Opposition had alleged that the Higher Education Minister KT Jaleel was involved in smuggling gold under the pretext of bringing Quran from the consulate. The agency has seized the Global Positioning System (GPS) recorder and log books of the vehicle which transported the Quran from the capital to Malappuram.
Though the sleuths had inspected the storeroom at the office on Tuesday, they did not get any vital evidence. The inspection began at 10 am and ended around 12 noon and they returned to Kochi with the log register and GPS recorder. On Tuesday, the officers grilled the then Managing Director of C-apt M Abdul Rahman at his office and the driver Augustine who drove the vehicle which ferried the books.
Earlier, Jaleel had admitted to the sleuths that he had distributed copies of the Quran along with the Ramazan food kits received from the UAE Consulate. He was interrogated by the NIA last week at the office in Kochi.
It had earlier come to light that the state-owned institution under the higher education department distributed thousands of copies of the Quran which were received as a gift from the UAE Consulate. Of these, 32 copies were transported to Malappuram in the vehicle owned by C-apt.
While there is nothing illegal in distribution of Quran to the general public, the religious books reached a government office without prior intimation to the Ministries of External Affairs and Home. The Opposition parties had earlier alleged that the Quran packets contained smuggled gold owing to Jaleel's alleged links with gold smuggling accused Swapna Suresh.
Earlier, Jaleel was interrogated by the Enforcement Department which is probing whether he is involved in smuggling gold under the pretext of transporting Quran to the C-apt office and to Malappuram from the office.