Govt. begins legal, political pushback against Swapna’s charges

12-member Crime Branch team constituted to investigate plot against Chief Minister

The Left Democratic Front (LDF) government has begun a political and legal pushback against the alleged “Congress-BJP conspiracy” to vilify Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

The LDF felt that the “axis” had engaged in character assassination by vindictively bracketing Mr. Vijayan with “discredited” UAE consulate staff accused of misusing the embassy’s diplomatic channel to bring contraband into the country by dodging Customs inspection.

Swapna Suresh, the prime suspect in the gold smuggling case, had recently reignited the controversy by accusing Mr. Vijayan of unethically exploiting the consulate’s diplomatic channel to import contraband “metal” and smuggle out foreign currency for personal gain.

Meanwhile, confrontational congress protests demanding Mr. Vijayan's resignation roiled Kerala for the second consecutive day.

Several persons were injured when Congress workers braved water cannons and skirmished with the police in several districts.

However, the anti-government demonstrations did not deter the administration from announcing a 12-member Crime Branch team headed by ADGP Sheikh Darvesh Saheb to uncover the "plot" to malign Mr. Vijayan. The agency has named Swapna and Kerala Janapaksham (Secular) leader P.C. George coconspirators in the case.

The police also opposed Swapna’s bid to seek anticipatory bail in the High Court and expedited their inquiries in other criminal cases pending against her.