Kerala gold smuggling case accused Swapna Suresh 'admits' acquaintance with CM Pinarayi Vijayan

In an embarrassment to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, NIA reportedly stated before the NIA special court in Kochi that gold smuggling case accused Swapna Suresh had admitted her acquaintance with the Chief Minister.

It was while opposing the bail plea of Swapna, who was a former executive secretary at the UAE consulate in Thiruvananthapuram, that the NIA pointed out Swapna's statement that she had acquaintance with the Chief Minister.

NIA also said that Chief Minister's former principal secretary M Sivasankar was like a mentor for Swapna. But Sivasankar did not consider her request for help in releasing the diplomatic baggage that contained 30 kilogram gold. Swapna had also stated to the NIA about her connections with bureaucrats, which she made while working with the UAE consulate.

Swapna's lawyer Geo Paul said that it was not NIA's findings, but NIA only pointed out a portion of Swapna's statement during the arguments opposing her bail. Geo Paul had argued that there were no evidence of any terrorist link.

The court posted the bail plea for further hearing on Monday. Assistant solicitor general P Vijay Kumar appeared for NIA.

The court had earlier sought the case diary from NIA to examine if there were any terror links to the gold smuggling case.

On Wednesday the NIA had stated before the court that the NIA probe was ordered as per a request of Kerala Chief Minister. This was widely used by CPM cadres in favour of the Chief Minister. Hence the opposition was now taking political advantage of Swapna's statement admitting association with the Chief Minister.

COMPLAINANT SUSPENDED

An Air India official who filed a petition against Swapna for forging a sexual assault complaint was placed under suspension.

L S Sibu, an officer ground handling with Air India posted in Hyderabad now, was placed under suspension on the charges of talking to media on company matters.

Sibu, a Kerala native, faced a sexual assault complaint while working in Thiruvananthapuram earlier. Later the complaint was found to be a forged one and an investigation was initiated against Swapna, who was then working with AI-SATS, as well as another former senior employee of AI-SATS, Benoy Jacob. Some Air India officials were recently quizzed by the Crime Branch in this connection and media reports in this regard allegedly led to Sibu suspension.