Guwahati news desk: Swapna Suresh, the prime accused of the gold smuggling case has named Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in connection with dollar smuggling, stated the Customs Department on Friday.
Swapna said that CM Vijayan has close connections with the previous Consul General of the UAE and illegal monetary transactions were carried out. Her statement was recorded under Section 108 of the Customs Act, and the 164 statement (given before the Magistrate) was filed by the Customs on Thursday before the Kerala high court.
The statement says, “Her close connection with the Chief Minister and his principal secretary and a personal staff was also revealed by her. She has also stated with clarity about the smuggling of foreign currency at the instance of the Chief Minister and the Speaker with the help of the Consulate. She has also clearly stated about the improper and illegal activities of three Ministers of the State cabinet and the Speaker. She has further stated about the involvement and the kickbacks received by high profile persons from various deals.”
“She has stated that she is aware of all these transactions and was a witness to the same as she is well versed in the Arabic language and hence was forced to act as the translator between the above said persons and the persons of Middle East origin in all their crucial interactions. The role of the former principal secretary (M.Sivasankar) in acting as the link between the high profile politicians of Kerala and the UAE Consulate officials as well as some others and in coordinating the illegal financial dealings under the cover of various activities and projects of the state government was also revealed by her,” the statement added.
The revelation came just at a time when Vijayan was leading the state committee meeting of his party at the state party headquarters and preparing the final list of his party candidates numbering around 90 seats of the 140-Assembly seats.