Kerala gold smuggling case: Accused Swapna Suresh revealed involvement of CM Pinarayi Vijayan, customs tells HC

Kerala: Customs commissioner Sumit Kumar, who is investigating the Kerala gold smuggling case, has made the startling claim in a court filing that prime accused Swapna Suresh has given a statement about smuggling of foreign currency at the instance of chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

Kumar told the High Court in his statement that Suresh, arrested in the case that has embroiled top officials of the state government, has made “shocking revelations about the Chief Minister’s close connections with the previous Consul General of UAE and the illegal monetary transactions carried out.”

He said the accusations were in a confidential statement given by her before the magistrate in Ernakulam. Suresh has also leveled accusations of illegal monetary transactions against Kerala Assembly Speaker and three members of the Vijayan Cabinet, the statement reads.

The damning revelations have come just before the assembly elections in Kerala next month, and the CM has found himself as the target of corruption allegations because of the smuggling racket. Five central agencies are conducting the probe, which has been alleged to be politically motivated by Vijayan.