Kerala CM rubbishes Swapna's claims of acquaintance; accuses media

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has rubbished statement of Kerala gold smuggling case accused Swapna Suresh about acquaintance with him. He also alleged that a section of media was becoming spokespersons of his political opponents.

Vijayan told reporters on Friday that Swapna only stated that she knew the chief minister. It was blown out of proportion by a section of media which was acting as the spokesperson of his political opponents who wanted to tarnish his image and trying to establish that Kerala chief minister had nexus with gold smuggling.

Vijayan, who almost lost his cool, said that he was not afraid of any probe as he had nothing to hide. Hence he himself sought NIA probe into the gold smuggling. The NIA probe would soon expose all the facts pertaining to it would be unpleasant to many others, he said.

It was while opposing Swapna's bail plea that the NIA pointed out before the special court in Kochi on Thursday that Swapna stated about her 'casual association' with the chief minister as she was earlier serving as an executive secretary at UAE consulate in Thiruvananthapuram.

The opposition parties Congress and BJP stepped up attack against the CM and demanded his resignation alleging nexus with gold smuggling accused.