THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Crime Branch on Friday took the statement of gold-smuggling accused Sandeep Nair in Poojappura Central Prison in connection with the probe into the alleged attempt of the Enforcement Directorate to falsely implicate Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in the reverse hawala case.
The court had recently given permission to the Crime Branch to take a statement from Sandeep, who is now detained under the provisions of the COFEPOSA act.
The Crime Branch was given two days to record Sandeep's statement.
It was Crime Branch Alappuzha DySP Baiju Paulose who took the statement.
Sandeep had earlier written to the Ernakulam District Sessions Court alleging that the Enforcement Directorate had forced him to give statements against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and other ministers in the case pertaining to smuggling of dollars from the country.
On the basis of this letter, a lawyer had lodged a complaint with the State Police Chief urging him to register a case against Enforcement Directorate officials.
Following this, the Crime Branch had registered a second case against the central agency on multiple counts, including alleged conspiracy to fabricate evidence against the CM.