<p>After festival relief kits and religious books were distributed by the UAE consulate in Thiruvananthapuram, the distribution of around 18,000 kg of dates to children in various institutions, including orphanages, is under scanner in connection with the probe into the Kerala gold smuggling case.</p>.<p>In May 2017, a programme was initiated by UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan to distribute high-quality dates to around 40,000 children of various institutions like poor homes, special school and BUDS schools under Kerala social justice department.</p>.<p>It was then reported that 18,000 kg of dates were being sent from UAE to Kerala. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and UAE consul general Jamal Hussain Al Zaabi formally launched the scheme in May 2017 by distributing dates packets to some children of a poor home in the state capital.</p>.<p>Accused in Kerala gold smuggling case Swapna Suresh was then serving as the executive secretary at the consulate, and reportedly played a key role in the programme. The dates distribution is now under the scanner of the Customs department, which has already registered a case. About 17,000 kg of dates were found to be imported.</p>.<p>Customs sources said that prima facie there was an evasion of duty, as the norms only allow duty exemption to items brought as diplomatic cargo meant for personal consumption of the diplomats. The dates imported for children would not normally get duty exemptions available for diplomatic cargo.</p>.<p>Meanwhile, the quantity of the dates distributed is also under the scanner. The head of a children's institution in the state told DH on the condition of anonymity that only a few packets of dates were received at many institutions and only one or two dates were given to each student in some institutions. The reports of 17,000 kgs of dates being imported was quite surprising, said an official.</p>.<p>Customs also suspect that the dates meant to distribution to children might have been diverted to others.</p>
<p>After festival relief kits and religious books were distributed by the UAE consulate in Thiruvananthapuram, the distribution of around 18,000 kg of dates to children in various institutions, including orphanages, is under scanner in connection with the probe into the Kerala gold smuggling case.</p>.<p>In May 2017, a programme was initiated by UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan to distribute high-quality dates to around 40,000 children of various institutions like poor homes, special school and BUDS schools under Kerala social justice department.</p>.<p>It was then reported that 18,000 kg of dates were being sent from UAE to Kerala. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and UAE consul general Jamal Hussain Al Zaabi formally launched the scheme in May 2017 by distributing dates packets to some children of a poor home in the state capital.</p>.<p>Accused in Kerala gold smuggling case Swapna Suresh was then serving as the executive secretary at the consulate, and reportedly played a key role in the programme. The dates distribution is now under the scanner of the Customs department, which has already registered a case. About 17,000 kg of dates were found to be imported.</p>.<p>Customs sources said that prima facie there was an evasion of duty, as the norms only allow duty exemption to items brought as diplomatic cargo meant for personal consumption of the diplomats. The dates imported for children would not normally get duty exemptions available for diplomatic cargo.</p>.<p>Meanwhile, the quantity of the dates distributed is also under the scanner. The head of a children's institution in the state told DH on the condition of anonymity that only a few packets of dates were received at many institutions and only one or two dates were given to each student in some institutions. The reports of 17,000 kgs of dates being imported was quite surprising, said an official.</p>.<p>Customs also suspect that the dates meant to distribution to children might have been diverted to others.</p>
