Gold smuggling case: Suspended IAS officer M Sivasankar was arrested on Wednesday.
Thiruvananthapuram:
Suspended IAS officer M Sivasankar’s WhatsApp chats with the key defendant in the Kerala gold smuggling case, Swapna Suresh, were summoned today by the Directorate of Enforcement in a special court as the investigating agency sought custody of the former chief secretary. from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. one day after his arrest. While the investigating agency sought his custody for 14 days, the court awarded custody for seven days.
M Sivasankar was arrested Wednesday night after several hours of questioning in the case, which has been at the center of state politics.
During his statement to the Enforcement Directorate on October 15, “Sivasankar agreed to have spoken with a senior customs official and made the request as per Swapna Suresh’s wishes. This clearly shows his involvement in the crimes committed by Swapna,” a court special for Money laundering cases were reported by the investigating agency.
WhatsApp chats between Sivasankar and Swapna Suresh “revealed that she has requested Sivasankar to intervene with the Terminal Manager / Airport Authority / Customs Authority for some work at the Airport / Diplomatic Baggage clearance without examination by Customs,” he added. .
The analysis of the WhatsApp chats “also indicates the fact that Sivasankar, in his official capacity, could have requested the clearance of other diplomatic positions, including those containing smuggled gold, because no one could know what was inside those diplomatic bags. once cleared. unexamined, “the Directorate of Execution had previously said in an arrest warrant.
The Kerala gold smuggling case is being investigated by the Directorate of Enforcement, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Customs Department. It involves the smuggling of at least 30 kg of gold allegedly through diplomatic channels in July. The 14.82 million rupee worth of gold was seized at Thiruvananthapuram airport from diplomatic baggage that was due to be delivered to the UAE consulate on July 5.
“It has been found that 21 shipments were sent between 2019 and 2020 and Sivasankar’s involvement has contributed to the commission of the crime. This clearly shows that Sivasankar knowingly assisted in the process of activity related to the proceeds of crime and therefore , committed the crime of money laundering, “said the Enforcement Directorate in the arrest warrant, underlining that” it is clear that Sivasankar has an interest in the finances of Swapna, the main defendant, which includes the proceeds of crime seized by the NIA from his locker and it is even possible that the proceeds of crime belong to Sivasankar. “
Underlining that Ms. Sivasankar “is a person of great influence in the state,” the investigative agency insisted in court that custody questioning is “very necessary to obtain clues and clues about the generation of the proceeds of crime and its subsequent use and concealment “. .
The analysis of “the evidence gathered so far, and the declaration of several people clearly establish that he is guilty of the crime of money laundering.” The suspended IAS officer has had “ample opportunities to disclose and cooperate with the investigation,” the court was told, as the investigative agency stressed, “he has deliberately adopted an attitude of non-cooperation.”
M Sivasankar, who has been questioned multiple times by the three central investigative agencies about allegations of his close ties to the defendants in the gold smuggling case, is the fifth defendant to be arrested in the money laundering case. said the Directorate of Execution.
On Wednesday morning, officials detained him at the Triveni Nursing Home in Thiruvananthapuram, where he had been admitted. Later, he was arrested after several hours of questioning.
The suspended IAS official had submitted a petition to the court saying that he was questioned by various investigative agencies for more than 90 hours, but that “they have not presented any report or incriminating material against him”, in court.
However, the Directorate of Enforcement and the Customs Department had strongly opposed the request for advance bond. His request for protection from arrest was rejected yesterday.
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