KOCHI: The customs department has identified the persons to whom the calls were made from the “controversial” iPhone using a SIM card taken in the name Vinodini, wife of former CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan.
As customs intensified the probe into the call data records of the phone — one of the six iPhones Unitac managing director Santhosh Eapen had gifted to gold smuggling case prime accused Swapna Suresh for getting the contract of the Wadakkanchery LIFE Mission housing project — it was found that the said handset was used by inserting only the SIM taken in the name of Vinodini and it was not used after the arrest of her son Bineesh Kodiyeri in connection with Bengaluru drug trafficking case. Customs found that most calls from the iPhone were made to those persons with whom Bineesh had deals both in Kerala and the UAE. In his statement to customs, Eapen had revealed that the iPhones were given as bribe for obtaining the Life Mission contract.
“As per our initial assessment, the calls from the said iPhone were made to those persons with whom Bineesh had business connections both in Kerala and the UAE. We also have relevant statements from a few persons who have deposed on the role of Bineesh in certain deals,” said a senior official. The customs has collected all digital evidence, including tower locations, pertaining to the use of the iPhone.
“Either Swapna or former UAE consul-general Jamal Husein Al Zaabi might have handed over the iPhone to Kodiyeri’s family. We need to know how they got the phone,” said the official, adding that the probe will look into the UAE dealings of both Bineesh and his elder brother Binoy as the iPhone link has exposed that the duo had connections with Jamal Al Zaabi. Customs Commissioner Sumit Kumar said the investigation officer has collected lots of evidence and it was up to the officer to proceed in the case as per that.