In a fresh set of allegations, Swapna Suresh, the prime accused in the Kerala gold smuggling and Life Mission cases, claimed that she was offered a large sum of money, purportedly on behalf of the state's ruling CPI(M) to handover all the evidence she has and relocate to north India or abroad. In a Facebook Live session on Thursday, March 9, she claimed that she has been offered Rs 30 crore by Vijay Pillai, a Kannur resident who said that he approached her upon instructions from the CPI(M).
"This happened three days back, and I was called by this Pillai a few times. So I went with my children to a hotel in Bengaluru. He said that I should leave Bengaluru for either Haryana or Jaipur and should hand over all the pieces of evidence, for which I would be given money to rehabilitate myself," she alleged. Swapna Suresh then said that Pillai told her that Govindan is very angry and that if she doesn't agree to this settlement, then there will be no more such talks. Swapna alleges the said Govindan to be CPI(M) State Secretary MV Govindan.
"Govindan has said that I should come and tell the people that I was lying all this time. Then I was offered Rs 30 crore and a duplicate passport so I can have a new life in Singapore," she alleged. "I was also told that UAE-settled billionaire Malayali businessmen MA Yusuf Ali and Ravi Pillai have also been served a notice to appear before the Enforcement Directorate," she added. She went on to allege that Pillai informed her that since Yusuf Ali is a hugely influential person and has shares in a few airports in Kerala, she might be trapped by placing contraband in her luggage if she does not comply.
"They either want me to leave and if not, put me in jail for three years by placing contraband in my luggage. I have made up my mind that from now on my only aim in life is to bring out the truth about (Kerala Chief Minister) Vijayan and his entire family, who have huge business interests, and how they are using these businessmen as their 'benamis' (proxies)," she claimed. "Death is sure for me, but Swapna Suresh has only one father and will fight till the last. With the present ED probe, the truth has started to come out slowly, and I will not withdraw from what I am doing now till I see that the truth comes out. Govindan wants to kill me. So even if I am not there, my lawyer and my family will take the fight forward," she alleged. She also said that CM Pinarayi Vijayan should not think that she would compromise, as this is a fight for the state and not an individual one. She also alleged that Vijay Pillai contacted her the day before yesterday and said that he was summoned by the ED.
Meanwhile, Kerala BJP president K Surendran said that now it is time for Govindan to come clean on the allegations. "What we should look into is... Swapna first said about M Sivasankar, the former Principal Secretary to Vijayan and senior IAS official, and see where he is now (in jail), then she said about CM Raveendran (Assistant Private Secretary to Vijayan) who has been questioned extensively by ED. So no one can say what she has said is false. Let the authorities take this forward and bring out the truth," he said.