Gold smuggling case: ED verifying Swapna’s confidential statement to decide on further probe

ED officials said they knew about co-accused Sarith P S’s statement given to the customs, revealing that a bag containing currency was sent to Dubai for the chief minister.
Enforcement Directorate (File Photo | PTI)
Enforcement Directorate (File Photo | PTI)

KOCHI: Having received a copy of Swapna Suresh’s confidential statement, the Enforcement Directorate is verifying details to decide whether the central agency needs to probe any of her revelations regarding the 2020 gold smuggling case. In the statement under Section 164 of CrPC, Swapna, a key accused, had alleged that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his family members, ministers and bureaucrats were involved in the smuggling of gold via the UAE consulate in Thiruvananthapuram.

Enforcement Directorate sources confirmed the central agency has received a copy of Swapna’s confidential statement from the Special Court for Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in Kochi.
“We are checking Swapna’s revelations in her fresh statement. We already have the statement she had given to us as well as a confidential statement given in the customs case. We will launch a probe only if any new fact has been disclosed in the fresh statement,” a source said.

ED officials said they knew about co-accused Sarith P S’s statement given to the customs, revealing that a bag containing currency was sent to Dubai for the chief minister. “A statement alone is not enough to summon anyone for interrogation. There must be some evidence to substantiate the claim,” the source said.
Meanwhile, Swapna’s lawyer Krishna Raj has filed an anticipatory bail petition at the Ernakulam Principal District Sessions Court in the case registered against him, on June 11, by the Ernakulam Central police under Section 295A of IPC over a social media post allegedly hurting religious sentiments.

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