The Kerala gold smuggling racket took a curious turn on Friday as Jayaghosh, the gunman of UAE Consulate attaché, tried to commit suicide in his house. The racket allegedly involving top Government officials and UAE attaché was busted by the customs department.
Jayaghosh was saved from the jaws of death by the Kerala Police team which was investigating the case following complaints from his family members that he has been missing since Thursday night.
Jayaghosh tried to commit suicide by cutting the veins in his hand and was seen bleeding profusely when the cops tracked him with the help of a sniffer dog. Jayaghosh, a constable working with the Armed Reserve Camp of the Kerala Police, was on deputation to the UAE Consulate in the capital city where he worked as the gunman to the attaché.
What makes the incident murky is the sudden exit of Rashed Alshemeili, the attaché, from India to UAE. Jayaghosh’s family members told media persons that the former was in a state of agitated mind since the exit of Alshemeili on Sunday.
The day also saw the customs officials from Kochi taking into custody Abdul Hameed and Aboobacker Pazedath of Malappuram district in connection with the gold smuggling case. According to official sources the duo was the financiers of the gold smuggling racket.
The CPI (M) State Committee which met at Thiruvananthapuram on Friday to take stock of the situation arising out of the gold smuggling through diplomatic channel in which the name of an official in the Chief Minister’s Office was figured expressed its full confidence in the leadership of Pinarayi Vijayan.
“ It was due to the waywardness of M Sivsankar, the then principal secretary of the Chief Minister, which led to the tarnishing of the CMO’s image. The Chief Minister took effective measures immediately after he came across the reports. The CPI (M) is undertaking a house-to-house campaign to convince the people about the realities behind the scam,” said Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, the party’s Kerala secretary while briefing the media about the decisions taken in the day-long meeting.
Balakrishnan said the party took strong objection to the comments made by J P Nadda, the BJP national president that the gold in Kerala was red in colour. “ I would like to remind him that the gold in Kerala is saffron and green in colour. It was a BMS leader who intervened in the case on behalf of the accused to get the gold consignment released from the Customs officials. The gold was smuggled by persons who are having close links with the Muslim League,” said Balakrishnan.
He said that P K Krishnadas, one of the BJP leaders, was heard demanding the dismissal of the CPI (M) led government. “ This shows how despair the BJP is in Kerala. The Congress and the Muslim League are hand in glove with terrorists and religious extremists. They get the support of the BJP in creating lawlessness in Kerala,” alleged Balakrishnan.
He said the CPI (M) welcomed the Government of India’s decision to entrust the investigation of the gold smuggling case to the National Investigating Agency. “ A comprehensive probe by the NIA and the Customs would bring the truth out,” said the CPI (M) secretary.
Ramesh Chennithala, Leader of Opposition, said that the Congress would bring in a no-confidence motion against the Government on July 27 when the House is having a one-day session to pass the finance bill