Thiruvananthapuram: After the unearthing of gold smuggling using diplomatic routes, the customs are currently looking at the possibility of involvement of bureaucrats and officials from Kerala administration.
According to reports, a raid was held at the apartment rented by M Shivasankar, Secretary to the IT department and former Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, near the Secretariat in the State capital.
The customs sleuths raided the apartment 6F in the complex named Heather, confirmed the security staff within the Apartment complex. The customs team confiscated the visitor's register and interrogated security personnel and the flat caretaker.
Read: NIA takes up probe into Kerala gold smuggling case; lodges FIR
The security personnel reportedly said that Sivasankar used to reach very late in the night and he last made a visit to the apartment on July 6.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has already registered a case against four people, including a key woman suspect, for their alleged involvement in smuggling 30 kg gold worth Rs 14.82 crore in diplomatic baggage.
Read: I have no role in gold smuggling, says case suspect Swapna Suresh
Sarith, Swapna Prabha Suresh, and Sandeep Nair and Fazil Fareed have been named in the case which relates to the seizure of 30 kg of 24-carat gold worth Rs 14.82 crore at Trivandrum International Airport on July 5 by the Customs (Preventive) Commissionerate, Kochi.
The sleuths had earlier conducted a day-long inspection at the apartment of Swapna Suresh, at Ambalamukku. Meanwhile, Sarith, the first accused in the case, has confessed to having smuggled gold ten times!
The consignment was found camouflaged in diplomatic baggage from the UAE that is exempted from inspection as per the Vienna Convention. The consignment was to be received by Sarith, who had worked in the UAE consulate earlier as a public relations officer.
The Customs had requested CCTV footage from the premises of the Thiruvananthapuram airport. However, the police have reportedly informed that it has not installed any CCTV cameras in the airport premises. CCTV cameras have been installed only till the Chakka bypass.
All the data collected by the Customs department in their probe have also been shared with the NIA.
