KOCHI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday named 20 persons in a chargesheet filed before the Special Court for NIA Cases here in the case related to the smuggling of gold using diplomatic baggage. NIA has turned five accused as approvers, including prime accused Sandeep Nair. However, former principal secretary M Sivasankar — termed the mastermind behind the gold smuggling by the ED and Customs — did not find mention in the NIA chargesheet.
According to sources, the chargesheet was filed as Wednesday marks 180 days since the arrest of Swapna Suresh. “With the charge sheet filed, they can’t avail of the provision for statutory bail. Of the 21 persons arrested in the case, 20 have been named as accused. Sandeep has been made an approver as he has given a voluntary statement under section 164 of CrPC,” said a source.
NIA has charged the accused under sections 16, 17, 18 and 20 of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.
“We have added section 20 meant for a member of a terrorist gang or terrorist group in the chargesheet. This was done as the act of the accused person was intended to destabilise the economic security of the nation, which is a terrorist act. Earlier, the FIR was registered under sections 16, 17 and 18 of UAPA,” said the source.
Investigation on against absconding accused: NIA
Those chargesheeted are Thiruvananthapuram natives Sarith P S and Swapna Prabha Suresh; Malappuram natives Rameez K T, Mohammed Shafi P, Saidalavi E, Abdu P T, Sharafuddeen K T, Mohammed Shafeeq A, Hamzath Abdulsalam, Hamjad Ali K, Aboobacker P and Abdul Hameed; Ernakulam natives Jalal A M, Rabins Hameed, Muhammedali Ebrahim and Muhammedali, and Kozhikode natives Samju T M, Jifsal C V, Muhammed Abdu Shameem K V and Shamshudeen.
As per a statement from NIA, the probe hitherto has revealed that the accused had knowingly conspired since June, 2019, raised funds and smuggled around 167 kg gold from UAE between November, 2019, and June, 2020, through the import cargo addressed to diplomats at the Consulate General of UAE in Thiruvananthapuram.
According to sources, the probe revealed that Rameez planned to smuggle more gold from other foreign countries.“Significantly, the main accused in this case had also planned to smuggle more gold from countries like Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Malaysia. Investigation continues against the absconding accused persons and others who had facilitated this crime,” stated the NIA statement.
What it says
NIA avoids term diplomatic baggage and uses import cargo addressed to UAE diplomats
5 persons were made approvers
NIA adds section 20 of UAPA (being member of terrorist gang or terrorist organisation)
NIA finds prime accused Rameez was planning to smuggle gold from other countries