Kerala gold smuggling: Swapna, Sandeep sent to judicial custody till Aug 21

The key accused in the Kerala gold smuggling case, Swapna Suresh and Sandeep Nair, who were in Customs custody till today, have now been remanded to judicial custody till August 21.

Thiruvananthapuram: Swapna Suresh and Sandeep Nair, both accused in the Kerala gold smuggling case were on Saturday remanded to judicial custody till August 21.

Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (Economic Offences) Court remanded Suresh and Nair to judicial custody after they were physically produced before the court on the completion of their Customs custody.

According to reports, both the accused will undergo COVID-19 tests and will be lodged at the Ernakulam district jail.

Earlier on July 28, the two were sent to five-day Customs custody. Considering the petition by the Customs department, the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court of Economic Offences in Kochi had granted it custody of Suresh and Nair till August 1. It directed the Customs to keep Swapna Suresh under the surveillance of a lady Customs officer not below the rank of Superintendent during custody.

The duo was formally arrested by the Customs (Preventive) Commissionerate on July 24 when they were produced before the Special NIA Court as their custody period ended.

Read:Swapna Suresh's degree certificates proved fake; Kerala police to record arrest

Suresh and Nair, arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) from Bengaluru on July 11, were subjected to custodial interrogation by the agency earlier.

Central agencies, including NIA and Customs, are conducting a separate probe into the seizure of gold worth nearly Rs 15 crore from a "diplomatic baggage" at the Thiruvananthapuram International airport on July 5.

(With inputs from agencies)