THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has collected documents relating to the seizure of hybrid ganja worth `2 crore from Alappuzha in April, indicating that the case has wider ramifications which are beyond the ambit of an excise department probe. The files regarding the case — in which three people including a couple are accused — were received by ED officers from excise sleuths by May-end, sources said.
The excise had already filed a chargesheet in the case, indicting Tasleema Sultana, alias Cristina, 41, her husband Sultan Ali Akbar, 43, and a male accomplice K Firoz as the accused.
Tasleema and Firoz were arrested on April 1 after they were found possessing 3kg of hybrid ganja, a substance more expensive than synthetic drugs such as MDMA. The contraband was intended to be sold among high-profile users in Alappuzha and Ernakulam districts. Tasleema’s husband was arrested a week later after it was discovered that he was actively involved in the operation.
During the probe, the excise allegedly unearthed details indicating that the couple had connection with transnational rackets involved in gold, sex, and drug trafficking. Following this, the excise officer probing the case had filed a report recommending transfer of the case to central agencies as multiple angles — some of them outside the excise department’s purview — had popped up during investigation.
Sources said the ED was interested in the case as Sultan was found to have transacted a large volume of money. He had also flown to several countries, including Malaysia and Thailand, which evoked suspicion. It was revealed that Sultan, posing as a dealer of electronic gadgets, travelled frequently to these countries, where he is suspected of using his connections with gold and drug traffickers to carry out illegal activities.
To mask his travel history, sources said, Sultan reportedly obtained duplicate passports three times by falsely claiming his previous ones had been lost. He was found to have travelled to Malaysia seven times, and on at least two occasions, returned using either a short-term passport or an emergency certificate.
The case had evoked wide interest as Tasleema had connections with the film industry. She had reportedly told the sleuths during interrogation that she had supplied drugs to some Malayalam film stars. The excise case has 55 witnesses, one of them being actor Sreenath Bhasi.
Beyond excise ambit
During the probe, the excise allegedly unearthed details indicating that the couple had a connection with transnational rackets involved in gold, sex, and drug trafficking. Following this, the excise officer probing the case had filed a report recommending transfer of the case to central agencies as multiple angles — some of them outside the excise department’s purview — had popped up during investigation.