The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday filed a charge sheet against 20 individuals, including Swapna Suresh in the Kerala gold smuggling case. The NIA said that the accused conspired to smuggle gold with intention of threatening the economic security of India. Till now, 21 accused have been arrested in the case by the NIA, while eight others are absconding.
According to the NIA, the accused had knowingly conspired since June, 2019, raised funds and smuggled from the UAE, between November, 2019 and June, 2020, around 167 kgs of gold, through the import cargo addressed to diplomats at the Consulate General of UAE in Thiruvananthapuram. Significantly, the main accused in this case had also planned to smuggle more gold from countries like Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Malaysia.
The case was registered by the NIA on July, 10, 2020 against Sarith PS Swapna Prabha Suresh, Faisal Fareed, Sandeep Nair and others under sections 16, 17 and 18 of UA (P) Act consequent to the seizure of around 30 kg of gold worth Rs 14.82 crores on July, 5, 2020 at Trivandrum International Airport by Customs (Preventive) Commissionerate, Cochin, from the import cargo addressed to the Charge D’ Affaires at the Consulate General of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Thiruvananthapuram.
Absconding accused Swapna Prabha Suresh and Sandeep Nair were arrested by the NIA from Bengaluru on July, 11, 2020.
List of accused named in NIA charge sheet:
(1) Sarith PS, resident of Thiruvananthapuram district;
(2) Swapna Prabha Suresh, resident of Thiruvananthapuram district;
(3) Ramees KT, resident of Malappuram district;
(4) Jalal AM, resident of Ernakulam district;
(5) Mohammed Shafi P, resident of Malappuram district;
(6) Saidalavi E, resident of Malappuram district;
(7) Abdu PT, resident Malappuram district;
(8) Rabins Hameed, resident of Ernakulam district;
(9) Muhammedali Ebrahim, resident of Ernakulam district,
(10) Muhammedali, resident of Ernakulam district;
(11) Sharafuddeen KT, resident of Malappuram district;
(12) Mohammed Shafeeq A, resident of Malappuram district;
(13) Hamzath Abdulsalam, resident of Malappuram district;
(14) Samju TM, resident of Kozhikode district;
(15) Hamjad Ali K, resident of Malappuram district;
(16) Jifsal CV, resident of Kozhikode district;
(17) Aboobacker P, resident of Malappuram district;
18) Muhammed Abdu Shameem KV, resident of Kozhikode district;
(19) Abdul Hameed, resident of Malappuram district and
(20) Shamshudeen resident of Kozhikode district
These 20 people have been charged under sections 16, 17, 18 and 20 of UA (P) Act in Trivandrum Gold Smuggling Case. Investigation continues against 31 absconding accused persons and others who had facilitated this crime.
