Kerala gold smuggling: SC issues notice to accused on ED’s plea for transfer of trial to Karnataka

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday issued notice to the accused on a plea by the Enforcement Directorate seeking transfer of the trial from Kerala to Karnataka in the gold smuggling case.

The ED claimed that a "free and fair trial" of the case is not possible in Kerala, alleging that a close nexus exists between the accused and top officials and functionaries of the Kerala government.

A bench of Justices M M Sundresh and Rajesh Bindal sought a response from the accused after hearing Additional Solicitor General S V Raju for the ED.

Raju sought a direction for the transfer of the trial from Kerala to Karnataka in the gold smuggling case.

He said the agency will have to make other remaining accused parties to the petition.

At present, the agency made Sarith PS, Swapna Prabha Suresh, Sandeep Nair and M Sivasankar, former principal secretary to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, as parties to its plea.

After hearing submissions, the bench fixed the matter for hearing in July.

Earlier, the top court had sought to know from the Centre whether diplomatic baggage can be subjected to scanning in India or they enjoy immunity from search.

A key accused in the case, Swapna Suresh, a former employee of the UAE Consulate in Thiruvananthapuram, was taken into custody by the National Investigation Agency along with another accused, Sandeep Nair from Bengaluru on July 11, 2020.