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Woman wanted in gold smuggling case booked under UAPA, says NIA to Kerala HC

Jul 10, 2020, 08:13PM ISTSource: TOI.in

A former woman employee of the UAE consulate, key suspect in the gold smuggling bid through diplomatic baggage, has been booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the National Investigation Agency informed the Kerala High Court. Making the submission while opposing the anticipatory bail application of Swapna Suresh, who is on the run, the counsels for the Centre and the NIA said she had criminal antecedents and was 'involved' in arranging diplomatic papers for the smuggling of the over 30 kg gold seized by the Customs recently in Thiruvananthapuram. Custodial interrogation of the woman was required to ascertain her role in the smuggling bid through the Thiruvananthapuram international airport, they said. The counsel for the NIA, which has been asked by the Centre on Thursday to probe the case, said there was a legal bar on high court entertaining anticipatory bail applications in cases investigated by the NIA. After hearing the submissions, Justice Ashok Menon declined the prayer of the petitioner seeking interim protection against arrest.

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