Kerala's gold smuggling case | A timeline
India Today
Top bureaucrat M Sivasankar has just come out with an autobiographical book narrating his version of the controversial gold smuggling case in Kerala. Here's a look at the case timeline.
On July 5, 2020, customs officials at the international airport in Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram seized baggage containing gold weighing over 30 kg and valued at around Rs 15 crore. The gold was inside diplomatic baggage and addressed to the UAE consulate.
Customs officials acted based on a tip off that the baggage was part of a smuggling syndicate trying to misuse the name of a person who enjoys diplomatic immunity.
The gold seizure snowballed into a major political controversy that shook the foundation of the ruling Left government in Kerala especially after top bureaucrat M Sivasankar got involved.
Former principal secretary to Kerala CM Vijayan and former IT secretary, he was suspended from service after his links with prime accused Swapna Suresh surfaced. He was later arrested and granted bail thereafter.
Now, M Sivasankar has come out with an autobiographical book narrating his version of the controversial episode. In his book, he has claimed that he made no illegal intervention in the gold smuggling incident and never gave any undue favour to Swapna Suresh. He said he was shocked to learn she was involved in smuggling and was trapped by her in the case.
In response, she has accused the senior officer of "manipulating, exploiting and destroying" her life.
With the gold smuggling case in Kerala back under the spotlight, here’s a timeline of everything that has happened in the case so far.
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