The gold smuggling operation through diplomatic channel busted by the Customs Department on Sunday at Thiruvananthapuram airport took a new turn on Wednesday as all main Opposition parties staging demonstrations all over the State demanding the immediate resignation of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan whose office and persons close to him find mentioning in the incident.
The Customs Department on Wednesday morning took into custody Sowmya, wife of Sandeep Nair, a close associate of Swapna Suresh, the kingpin behind the whole operation. Sowmya was taken to Kochi and is being grilled by the department officials. The Customs officials is yet to make any formal announcement about the seizure or probe.
Swapna Suresh remained absconding for the fourth day in succession while the Customs officials examined her apartment in Thiruvananthapuram suburb. They seized lap tops as well as pen drives and mobile phones from her apartment, according to reliable sources.
Meanwhile V Muraleedharan, BJP leader and minister of State for foreign affairs told reporters that the busting of gold smuggling racket has come to the notice of the Centre and there would be comprehensive investigation into the case. Muraleedharan refused to divulge the name of the agencies which would probe the issue though he said all organisations entrusted with the responsibilities of national security, finance, crime investigation would feature in the probe.
Reacting to Kerala Chief Minister’s allegation that the gold smuggling showed the failure of the Central Government, Muraleedharan said it was the timely intervention of the Central agency which resulted in the exposure of the smuggling racket. “Vijayan is upset over the fact that persons close to him have been caught red handed in this case. The chief minister’s ignorance about the wayward behaviour of his principal secretary shows how incapable and inefficient he is to be in that chair,” said Muraleedharan.
The union minister disclosed that the Customs Department had approached the external affairs ministry for permission to question the UAE Consulate official in whose name the consignment was sent. “The external affairs ministry would take up the matter with its counterpart in UAE for the same. It is not proper to term the consignment as diplomatic baggage because it was not an official material. It was a consignment meant for the personal use of an official in the consulate,” said the minister.
Elsewhere in Kerala, the day saw BJP and Congress workers burning the chioef minister by effigy and staging rallies asking Pinarayi Vijayan to quit as early as possible.