Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan | Photo credit: ANI
Kochi: The Kerala gold smuggling case is expected to cause further political upheaval in the southern state after the National Investigative Agency (NIA) investigating the alleged terrorist connection hinted at the alleged involvement of the underworld gang Don Dawood Ibrahim in the sensational deal.
The agency told a NIA Special Court that it had received intelligence information on the likely use of the gold smuggling proceeds for anti-national and terrorism-related activities.
The NIA also strongly opposed bail requests from all defendants in the case. It maintained that the detention of all the accused was necessary up to 180 days to carry out the investigation.
Key developments in the gold smuggling case in Kerala
- The emergence of the so-called Dawood angle has led opposition parties in Kerala to attack the ruling LDF and the chief minister, Pinarayi Vijayan. While the BJP has demanded Vijayan’s resignation, Congress called the case one of the biggest crimes in the state.
- “The defendant’s relationship in the gold smuggling case with D-Company and ISIS has been established. The state government is protecting these smugglers. The CM has lost the moral rights to continue. Therefore, we demand that he step down immediately, ”said Kerala BJP chief K Surendran.
- “It is very shocking that the main culprit in the gold smuggling case has connections to Dawood Ibrahim. It is one of the biggest crimes that happened in Kerala. Unfortunately, the state government supported the culprits. The NIA will unearth the details of this crime, ”stated Congressman Ramesh Chennithala.
- In a major development, lead defendants Swapna Suresh and Sarith PS today withdrew their bail petitions filed in the NIA Special Court here. Meanwhile, the Main Court of Sessions rejected defendant Sandeep Nair’s request for bail in the case of gold smuggling registered by the Directorate of Enforcement.
- In a related development, the Kerala High Court on Thursday issued instructions to the Directorate of Enforcement not to arrest M. Sivasankar, the former Kerala CMO Chief Clerk, until 23 October in connection with the case.
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