A special court in Kochi hearing the sensational Kerala gold smuggling case being probed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday rejected a bail plea filed by key accused Swapna Suresh. Meanwhile, the court has allowed her family to meet her in prison. Swapna had reportedly filed a plea stating that she has health issues and hence needs bail.
In their response, investigation officials filed a plea asking the court to extend the judicial custody of the accused persons including Swapna Suresh. Considering the NIA’s plea, the court has extended the judicial custody of 12 accused including Swapna Suresh, Sarith PS and KT Ramees.
The NIA argued in court that if the accused are let out on bail, they would abscond and hamper the evidence in the case. Notably, the investigation officers stated that the accused persons have not yet fully revealed their entire role in the case or of the conspirators.
The controversial case pertains to the smuggling of 30 kg gold from UAE to Kerala through diplomatic baggage. Investigation agencies said that the gold had been smuggled similarly in the past also.
The NIA also reiterated in its plea to court that “investigation has to be conducted abroad and probe into roles of high-profile individuals and Consulate officials is also necessary to unearth all conspirators in the crime”. It also stated that the agency is yet to receive the details of data collected from digital devices seized from the accused persons, which has been sent to the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC).
“Further custodial interrogation of the accused is crucial in the case,” the NIA said in court. The data retrieved need to be confronted with the accused persons by taking them into NIA custody, it added.
The other accused whose judicial custody has been extended include Jalal AM, Said Alavi, Abdu PT, Muhammed Ali, Sharafudden KT, Muhammed Shafeeq A, Hamzath Abdu Salam, Samju TM, and Hamjad Ali.