KOCHI: The ruling Left Front in the state was caught on the defensive after the wife of a key accused in the Kerala gold scandal alleged that the gold was smuggled for LDF MLA Karat Rasak and his relative Karat Faisal, an LDF councillor in Kozhikode district's Koduvally municipality.
Soumya, wife of Sandeep Nair, a key accused in the gold smuggling case, told the Customs department that she knew Sandeep and another accused Rameez KT were smuggling gold for Karat Faisal and Karat Rasak, the Koduvally MLA. Similarly, they were smuggling gold for Koduvally-based gangs, she said.
Sources said it was based on the statement given by Soumya that the Customs first identified other accused persons including Swapna Suresh and Rameez KT in the case.
Earlier, BJP state president K Surendran also had alleged the involvement of Rasak in the gold smuggling.
Reacting to reports on the statement of Soumya, Karat Rasak on Monday denied his role in the gold smuggling. He said he did not know or meet any person involved in the case. Karat said he suspects a conspiracy against him.
Rasak left the Muslim League and joined Left Front before winning the assembly election in 2016 from the Koduvally constituency. "If the case is in the right direction, I will not be called for interrogation as I have no role in it. But if there is any conspiracy, I will also be called for questioning," he said. Rasak said he has no gold business and only came to know about the incident through media reports.
BJP state president Surendran said Soumya's statement has proved beyond doubt the involvement of Rasak in gold smuggling. "Those who know about the gold smuggling case do not doubt Rasak's involvement. Everyone knows about his relationship with CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan. Both the Chief Minister's office and CPM state headquarters are involved in the gold smuggling," he said.
Last month, Rasak's relative Karat Faisal was taken into custody by the Customs and brought to Kochi for interrogation. He was subsequently released.
In the 2015 local body polls, Faisal contested as an independent candidate backed by the LDF and was elected as a counselor of Koduvally municipality.