Swapna Suresh, a key accused in the Kerala gold smuggling case, has been admitted at the Medical College Hospital in Thrissur, after she complained of chest pain. Swapna, who is in judicial custody of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), was lodged at the Viyyur Jail in Thrissur since Friday and complained of uneasiness. She is being examined at the hospital.
The New Indian Express reported that Swapna was first examined by the physician in the jail after which she was taken to the hospital. There was reportedly variation in her Electrocardiogram (ECG) report and Swapna also had high blood pressure. She will be under observation for 24 hours.
The NIA, which had taken over the case, had arrested Swapna and her associate Sandeep Nair from Bengaluru on July 11, after they were on the run following the arrest of an accomplice by the Customs Department on July 5.
Her bail plea was rejected last month by the special NIA court at Kochi and since her arrest, she has been questioned on numerous occasions by various central agencies, including the Enforcement Directorate and the Customs.
The gold smuggling case first surfaced when PS Sarith, a former employee of the UAE Consulate in Thiruvananthapuram, was arrested by the Customs on July 5 when he was allegedly facilitating smuggling of 30 kg gold in diplomatic baggage to the city from Dubai.
It turned murkier when the name of Swapna, a former employee of the Consulate surfaced and more so, when her links with IAS official M Sivasankar, who held the dual posts of Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the state IT Secretary, came out.
Sivasankar was subsequently removed from the posts and then suspended from service.
Towards the end of August, Swapna had alleged that Anil Nambiar, coordinating editor of Janam TV, a pro-BJP channel, offered advice to make the UAE Consulate General release a statement that the bag with the gold was not a diplomatic one. Nambiar, who was questioned by the Customs Department, denied the allegations.
(With IANS input)