In another development in the sensational Kerala gold smuggling case, an audio recording, purportedly of Swapna Suresh, one of the accused in the case, has surfaced. In the audio which was released by her lawyer to Malayalam news channel Twenty Four, she can be heard claiming that she is innocent.
This audio has emerged at a time when the Customs Department has asked Kerala police to trace Swapna who has not turned up for questioning. Moreover, she has applied for bail as the Customs department has implicated her for allegedly committing offences under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962.
Though Swapna has been absconding since Monday, in the audio she however claims that she is ready for any kind of investigation. She also says that she does not know any minister in the Kerala cabinet, though she has interacted with many on a professional basis.
In the audio, Swapna who introduces herself as the ex-secretary to the Consulate General of the United Arab Emirates says, “Media is calling me a smuggler, a born criminal and a prostitute. Everyone is claiming that I was involved in gold smuggling..that I was paid Rs 1 lakh at the Space Park. Let me tell them that I used to get more than that at the UAE consulate. I don't have any savings, I have used all my salary to provide for my children well.”
The controversial gold smuggling case which pertains to the Customs Department seizing 30 kg of gold in a diplomatic baggage in Trivandrum International Airport, has created a political storm in Kerala, with opposition parties alleging that Swapna and the other accused Sarith were merely small fish in the game. The opposition has also been questioning the Chief Minister as his Principal Secretary has been accused of facilitating a consultation job for Swapna with the Kerala government.
“People are claiming I was dancing at nightclubs with some important people. Which club? Show me which club? The important people or even the Chief Minister are not going to be affected by these allegations, because they are false,” said Swapna, reacting to media reports and chatter on social media insinuating that she was close to several people.
“It is my humble request. You can save a father, mother and two children. You can't use this and do anything to the current ministry. None of them are there for my support as I don't even know them, they won't even remember a secretary like me,” she adds, addressing the opposition.
Two days after the gold seizure in Trivandrum International Airport, M Sivasankar who was the Principal Secretary of CM Pinarayi Vijayan, was removed from the post following allegations that he was close to Swapna Suresh.
Swapna also asked the opposition and media to focus on finding people behind the smuggling instead of defaming her.
“Stop targeting innocent people (like me) to win elections. Instead, find the people behind this smuggling. The Chief Minister, IT secretary or Honorable Speaker are not behind me. I have interacted with many ministers as I have invited them for many consulate functions. You are trying to defame them, but you won’t gain anything of it as there is no truth to any of it. They are not going to be inconvenienced by any of this as you won't find anything if you investigate them, investigate me, you won't find anything,” she tells the opposition and media.
In the audio, Swapna however does not speak anything about the smuggling or the case directly.
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