Kerala Gold Smuggling Accused Says No "Agenda" Behind Allegations

Kerala Gold Smuggling Case: Swapna Suresh raised the allegation on Tuesday after giving a statement at a local court in a money laundering case that came up during the probe into gold smuggling.

As the investigation into the Kerala gold smuggling case intensifies, Swapna Suresh, one of the accused in the case, said on Wednesday that there was no "political or personal agenda" behind her allegation against Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan stating that the latter had taken a bag full of currency to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in 2016.

This comes after a team of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) on Wednesday took into custody PS Sarith, another accused in the gold smuggling case, in connection with a case related to the state government housing scheme Life Mission.

Swapna Suresh raised the allegation before the media in Kochi on Tuesday after giving a statement at a local court as per section 164 of CrPC in a money laundering case that came up during the probe into gold smuggling. Following this, Chief Minister Vijayan refuted the allegation saying that it was part of a "certain agenda" against him.

In a conversation with the reporters on Wednesday, she said, "I don't have a good or bad opinion about the honourable Chief Minister of Kerala. I do not have any political or personal agenda behind it. I said earlier that I don't care who rules Kerala. It is not my cup of tea. I am not bothered about politics. I am bothered only about the case. Who am I to give a certificate to Chief Minister for anything. Let people give it."