Kerala Gold Scam: UAE Consular Officer’s Gunman Found Injured

Officials of Thumba police station told that Jayaghosh was discovered behind his house in an area filled with bushes.

(Photo Courtesy: The News Minute)

Jayaghosh, the gunman of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Consular officer Rashed Khamis Ali Musaiqri Alshemeli in Thiruvananthapuram was found with his wrist slashed near his family home in Thumba on Friday.

He has been missing from his house in Kuzhivila, in Thumba since Thursday evening, after which a search was launched. It was a passerby who found an injured Jayaghosh from a nearby area.

Officials of Thumba police station told TNM that Jayaghosh was discovered behind his house in an area filled with bushes. A team of police officials had been searching the area since morning with the help of a dog squad.

“We had been searching the forest-like area behind his house since the morning. It was from there that the team finally discovered Jayaghosh. He seems to have caused self injury and fallen onto the road nearby. He is not in a dangerous condition as we could take him to a hospital fast,” said Shaji, Sub Inspector of Thumba police station.

He also added that Jayaghosh seems to have swallowed a blade. “He was conscious at the time and was mumbling this,” said the officer.

Jayaghosh has been admitted to KIMS Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram.

In the visuals of the incident showing police officials rescuing him after being discovered, Jayaghosh could be seen saying, “I didn’t do anything.”

At this stage, it is not clear if Jayaghosh has tried to take his own life or was attacked. Jayaghosh’s wife had earlier given a statement to the police that he feared for his life ever since his name cropped up in the gold smuggling case, which has been rocking the state in the past few days. The family members have also reportedly said that he had received threat calls from someone.

There were rumours that Jayaghosh had tipped off the Customs Department about the smuggling which was caught at the Thiruvananthapuram airport earlier this month.

Swapna Suresh, an accused in the case, has reportedly called Jayaghosh several times on the day the gold was seized.

The National Investigation Agency took over the case after the initial outcry by politicians, claiming connection with the state government's IT department.

Meanwhile, the UAE consular officer has left the country from Delhi to Dubai on Sunday, creating more ripples in the controversy. The gold was found in a bag with food items addressed to him. The Consular officer, however, said that he was unaware of the other contents and told the Customs that the first accused in the case Sarith Kumar was in charge of the consignment. It was on the basis of what the officer said that Sarith was first detained.

There have been multiple demands that the UAE consulate’s role should also be investigated. Moreover, the Consular Officer himself admitted to the Customs Department that he was using Sarith, a former employee for odd jobs.

Minister KT Jaleel had provided screenshots of his conversation with the Consular officer regarding food kits during Ramadan which showed that Swapna was still working unofficially for the UAE consulate.

Moreover, leaked call records show that Swapna had called the Consular officer 117 times from June to 5 July.

(Published in an arrangement with The News Minute)