The Customs Department has cited Kerala Minister KT Jaleel “in all ongoing investigations”. (Archive)
Thiruvananthapuram:
The Customs Department has sent a notice to Kerala’s Minister KT Jaleel, asking him to appear before it on Monday for questioning. “Minister KT Jaleel has been cited as a person of interest in connection with all ongoing investigations,” Customs Department sources told NDTV.
The Customs Department has been investigating the case of smuggling of at least 30 kg of gold, allegedly through diplomatic channels, which was seized at Thiruvananthapuram airport earlier this year.
In addition, the department has also brought two other cases for alleged evasion of duty and violations of the Foreign (Contribution) Regulations Act, FCRA, related to sending dates and Quran at the UAE consulate in Thiruvananthapuram.
Mr. Jaleel, who was questioned by the central investigative agencies – the National Investigation Agency and the Directorate of Enforcement – in September, has maintained that he is not an accused in any case.
Kerala’s Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has also denied the allegations that link the state government to these cases in any way.
Jaleel’s questioning, however, prompted opposition parties to demand his resignation.
“I am not a defendant in any case. I was called by agencies to answer certain questions for clarification. I have told them everything I knew. The demands of the opposition parties for my resignation are only political opportunism. Certain leaders of the United Democratic Front ( UDF) had sent petitions to the Prime Minister and other central ministries against me; it is their job to question me, “he told NDTV.
In July, call logs leaked to the media showed multiple calls exchanged between the minister and one of the defendants in the gold smuggling case: Swapna Suresh, who was granted bail in October.
He had previously said that he was in contact with Swapna Suresh about sponsored food packages for needy families during Ramzan.
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