Swapna Suresh claims bias led to transfer of probe officer

Swapna also said nearly three million dirhams were given as commission to various individuals  for the project funded by UAE Red Cresent in 2019.
Swapna Suresh (Photo | A Sanesh, EPS)
Swapna Suresh (Photo | A Sanesh, EPS)

KOCHI: Swapna Suresh claimed on Monday that she had information that the transfer of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) officer who first probed the gold smuggling case was due to his bias and problematic nature.

Swapna,who is accused in the gold smuggling case appeared before ED officers in Kochi with  co-accused Sarith PS,after receiving a summons as part of the probe into money laundering in the Vadakkanchery Life Mission project.

Responding to questions about any interference in the probe, she replied “I don’t know about procedures and processes taking place inside an investigation agency. My latest and last information was that Radhakrishnan ( sir) who was handling the case was problematic or he was biased. So he was transferred. I don’t wish to comment on the procedures of the agency,” she said.

ED deputy director P Radhakrishnan had initially probed the Thiruvananthapuram gold smuggling case. He had arrested Swapna, Sarith, Sandeep and Principal Secretary M Sivasankar as part of the probe. He was recently transferred from Kochi. Based on the CBI probe into violation of the Foreign Contribution (Regulations) Act in the Vadakkanchery Life Mission project, ED registered a case in 2021. Santhosh Eapen, MD of Unitac Builders, was questioned by ED last month.

Swapna also said nearly three million dirhams were given as commission to various individuals  for the project funded by UAE Red Cresent in 2019. “I hope that truth is revealed. I also expect that people who are involved in gold smuggling, as well as Life Mission case, be exposed,” she said.

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