Kerala Left Front leader in customs custody in connection with gold smuggling probe

The Kerala gold smuggling case caused further embarrassment to the ruling Left Front in Kerala as a Left Front municipal councillor was being quizzed by the customs and raids were being held at his premises.

Karat Faisal, a Left Democratic Front councillor at Koduvally municipality in Kozhikode, was taken into custody by Customs (Preventive) unit probing the gold smuggling using the cover of diplomatic baggage addressed to the UAE consulate in Thiruvananthapuram.

Customs was also learnt to have conducted raids at a couple of premises, including a private hospital co-owned by Faisal.

Faisal, who was involved in a gold smuggling case earlier also, was suspected to be a key person involved in the present gold smuggling racket comprising the UAE consulate former employees.

The customs was learnt to have received evidence regarding Faisal's link with some of the key accused in the gold smuggling who were already held.

Faisal was in the news couple of years back when CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan used his luxury car during a demonstration of the party.

With Faisal coming under customs probe, Kerala Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala alleged that as the probe into the gold smuggling was progressing, the Left Front in Kerala was under the grip of fear.

The gold smuggling case already caused much embarrassment to the Left Front government as Higher Education Minister K T Jaleel, Chief Minister's former principal secretary M Sivasankar and CPM state secretary's son Bineesh Kodiyeri came under probes by various central agencies into the gold smuggling rackets.