NIA suspects Dawood Ibrahim link with Kerala gold smuggling accused

Taking into account the suspected links of some of the accused in the Kerala gold smuggling case with proscribed terrorist Dawood Ibrahim, the NIA special court in Kochi on Thursday denied bail to three accused, while bail was granted to ten others.

Key accused in the case, Swapna Suresh and Sarith P S, both former employees of UAE consulate in Kochi, withdrew their bail plea as the Customs initiated a one year preventive detention steps against them using provisions of COFEPOSA on Wednesday.

All those who got bail were either those who invested in the smuggling or those who were involved in selling the smuggled gold.

In order to establish the terror links to the case registered under UAPA, NIA stated before the court that it suspected that 13th accused Sharafudeen K T was close with fifth accused Ramees and they travelled together to Tanzania from where Ramees smuggled gold. NIA suspected that Rameez might have some connection with Dawood as a person named Firoz Oasis, a south Indian, is known to be in his company.

According to NIA's statement before the court opposing bail, fifth accused Ramees revealed that he had attempted to start diamond business in Tanzania and that later he had attempted to obtain gold mining licence in Tanzania and had also brought gold from Tanzania and sold in UAE. The narrative summary of Dawood issued by United Nations Security Council sanctions committee regarding Al-Qaeda and ISIS-associated individuals and entities besides the fact sheet published by US department of treasury on Dawood specifically mentioned abut his activities in Africa. Recent news reports also specifically mentioned about Dawood's diamond business in Tanzania, managed by his associate 'Feroz', considered as a south Indian by intelligence agencies. Thirteenth accused Sharafudheen had travelled to Africa with Ramees, said the NIA report.

Considering this the NIA denied bail to Sharafuddin as well as 12th accused Muhammad Ali who was a member of the PFI and was earlier charge-sheeted in a case pertaining to chopping the palm of a professor in Kerala, but was later acquitted by court. Seven accused Mohammed Shafi was also denied bail.

Around 30 persons were so far arraigned in the case, of which 21 were taken into custody by NIA, while six were in UAE.

Kerala HC restrains former CM's secretary's arrest

The Kerala High Court on Thursday restrained the investigation agencies from arresting Kerala Chief Minister's former principal secretary M Sivasankar till October 23.

The IAS officer, who is now under suspension, had moved an anticipatory bail petition. Considering it the court also directed Enforcement Directorate to submit a report on the matter.

Sivasankar was already quizzed by various investigations agencies several times especially in connection with his links with gold smuggling accused Swapna Suresh.