National Investigation Agency, on Friday, has seized Rs 1 crore and 982 grams of gold from Kerala Gold smuggling accused – Swapna Suresh’s lockers in Federal Bank and State Bank of India (SBI), as mentioned in the remand copy. Currently, both Suresh and co-accused Sandeep Nair have been sent to judicial custody till August 21. Suresh has moved the NIA court seeking bail – claiming mental torture in custody; it will be heard on August 5.
A recent remand report submitted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) suggests that sleuths recovered Rs 36.5 lakhs in cash from a Federal Bank locker owned by Swapna Suresh. The NIA also seized Rs 64 lakhs in cash and 982.5 grams of gold ornaments from a locker owned by her with the State Bank of India (SBI).
During preliminary interrogation, Swapna Suresh had told investigators that she stored the proceeds from the smuggling racket in her bank lockers. She later disclosed details about the operation and others involved in smuggling gold from the UAE into Kerala.
Co-accused in the case, Sandeep Nair’s statements to the NIA led investigators to believe that gold smuggler KT Ramees’ involvement in the racket had implications on national security. Earlier, the NIA had asserted that KT Ramees was the kingpin of the gold smuggling racket that came to light as the result of a Customs seizure at the Thiruvananthapuram international airport on July 5.
Meanwhile, digital evidence seized by investigators is being analysed by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC) in connection with the Kerala gold smuggling case.
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