The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested four more accused in the Kerala gold smuggling case, in which 30 kg of gold was smuggled, allegedly in a diplomatic bag in the UAE, to Thiruvananthapuram airport from Dubai. The NIA arrested Mohamed Anwar TM, Hamzath Abdu Salam aka Kunjumon, Hamjad Ali and Samju on Thursday.
Samju is a native of Kozhikode, while the others belong to Malappuram. They were arrested on Thursday “after their roles in conspiracy and pursuant smuggling of gold through diplomatic baggage addressed to the UAE Consulate at Thriruvananthapuram surfaced in investigation,” the NIA said in a press release issued on Friday.
The NIA conducted searches at the houses of the accused at six locations in Malappuram and Kozhikode on Friday, August 14. Digital devices and incriminating documents have been seized during searches, the NIA said.
According to the investigating agency, while interrogating Jalal AM, MD Shafi, Said Alavi and Abdu PT, who were earlier arrested in connection with the crime, it was revealed that Mohamed Anwar TM, Hamzath Abdu Salam, Samju and Hamjad Ali Had provided funds for procuring and smuggling the gold into India.
The NIA has arrested 20 accused in the case so far.
The Economic Offences Court in Kochi on Tuesday rejected the bail plea of Swapna Suresh, a key accused in the case, considering the parallel probe by the Customs Department. The NIA special court had earlier rejected her bail plea.
The gold smuggling case emerged when PS Sarith, a former employee of the UAE Consulate, was arrested by the Customs on July 5 while he was allegedly facilitating smuggling of the gold. The NIA has also questioned M Sivasankar, the former Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for his alleged link with some of the prime accused, including Swapna Suresh.
Sivasankar was removed from the post of Principal Secretary and also from the post of Secretary IT Department, prior to his suspension.
(Published in an arrangement with The News Minute.)
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