In a relief to the left-front government in Kerala, the Kerala High Court on Friday rejected a plea of gold smuggling accused Swapna Suresh for quashing the case registered against her on charges of hatching a conspiracy against the state government and trying to create a riot.
The HC maintained that the case was only in the initial stage and hence the petition was premature.
The Thiruvananthapuram city police registered a case against Swapna under IPC sections 120-B for criminal conspiracy and 153 for provocation with the intent of causing riots. The case was registered on the basis of a petition filed by left-front MLA K T Jaleel after Swapna gave a confession statement before a magistrate in which allegations were raised against the Chief Minister and his family linked with the gold smuggling involving officials of the UAE consulate in Kerala.
Swapna alleged that the case against her was a vindictive move and hence moved the court seeking quashing of the FIR.
The court however maintained that Swapna made not just made the revelation about the contents in the confession statement but made a series of statements and allegations on many days to the media.
The state had witnessed widespread protest against the Chief Minister by Congress and BJP workers after Swapna raised the allegations.
Published 19 August 2022, 16:50 IST