Swapna Suresh, one of the prime accused in the Kerala gold smuggling case, Friday accused the NIA officers of Kerala cadres working on the directions of CM Pinarayi Vijayan. Speaking to news agency ANI, Swapna alleged that the central agency had deleted evidence submitted by her.
She further alleged that her phone, which she submitted to the agency, containing chats and other information about the involvement of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in the gold smuggling case had gone missing.
Swapna asserted in her affidavit submitted to the High Court that the phone was not included in the seizure mahasar.
The device, according to her, contained evidence that the former principal secretary M Sivasankar had informed her about the CM’s request for an NIA investigation into the case. Sivasankar had claimed that it would be easier to manipulate records because the officers assigned to the agency were from the Kerala cadre and were close to the CM and his party.
Swapna Suresh alleged, “the evidence was first seized by NIA and when I tried to sit with other investigative agencies, they couldn’t find them because they were deleted from them. Most of the evidence was deleted. I am just trying to gather them. So, I will definitely be successful. Those NIA officers were from the Kerala cadre. So obviously, they have to do what the honourable CM demands them. And they will definitely be given stars and offers.”
“He (KT Jaleel) cannot deny any allegation. It is not an allegation, it is with evidence. I have added this in an affidavit to show that this gentleman can stoop down to any level if he is a Minister or an MLA to do anything or attack a publication and a poor woman like me. I wasn’t working as a PA to the Consul General during that period. If you look into the dates, I was working for the Space Park project under the government of Kerala where I was placed by the honourable CM, Sivasankar and all these people,” she added.
Notably, on Thursday, Swapna also filed an affidavit in the Kerala High Court accusing former Kerala minister and present MLA KT Jaleel of indulging in “anti-national activities” and allegedly violating protocol by having shady dealings with the UAE Consul General.
Swapna filed the counter affidavit against the Kerala government’s petition that opposed her plea to quash the FIR in the conspiracy case registered on the complaint of former minister KT Jaleel.
Swapna Suresh revealed money reached CM’s house in Biryani vessels
It may be recalled that last month, Swapna Suresh had said that she has a lot to reveal about the case but alleged threat to her life. She has raised serious allegations against CM Pinaryi Vijayan and his family. While speaking to reporters after her deposition before the court on June 7, Swapna alleged that a bag containing money was sent to CM Vijayan when he was in Dubai in 2016.
She further said that on M Sivsankar’s orders, biryani vessels containing heavy metals were transported from the consulate general’s house to the Cliff House, the CM’s official residence. “These vessels had heavy objects other than biryani. I can’t reveal everything right now. I will make further revelations when the time is right,” she added.
Suresh names CM Pinarayi Vijayan and three other ministers in the Gold smuggling case
Notably, Swapna Suresh, in the past has also levelled serious allegations against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and three ministers of his cabinet pertaining to the Gold smuggling case. Last year, ahead of the crucial assembly elections in Kerala, the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) government had been pushed into a tight spot after Swapna Suresh had revealed to the Customs Department that Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was very much involved in the gold and dollar smuggling cases.
In a sensational disclosure, Swapna Suresh reportedly also detailed Kerala CM Vijayan’s close connections with the previous UAE Consul General.
In October 2020, Suresh also revealed to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) that Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had held multiple meetings with the Consul General of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in 2017.
