Swapna Suresh, an accused in the diplomatic gold smuggling case, has alleged before the Kerala High Court that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had not included her seized iPhone which contained chats and other details regarding the involvement of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and others in the seizure mahazar.
In a reply affidavit filed in the High Court on Thursday, Swapna alleged that M. Sivasankar, former Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, had told her that Mr. Vijayan had requested an investigation by the NIA in the case as it would be easy to manipulate records as all the officers deputed to the NIA were Kerala cadre officers and they were very close to the Chief Minister and his party. That stood now proved with the NIA seizing the phone gifted by Mr. Sivasankar and not including it in the seizure mahazar
The reply affidavit was filed in response to a petition filed by Swapna seeking to quash the conspiracy cases registered against her by the State police following her allegations against the Chief Minister. Swapna said she had already requested her counsel to file an application before the trial court to retrieve the details from icloud, which was possible.
‘Torpedoing probe’
She added that the intention of the State government by registering conspiracy cases against her was to torpedo the investigations of the Central agencies. It was in such circumstance the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had moved the Supreme Court the other day for transferring the investigation and trial of this case from Kerala to Karnataka.
Swapna pointed out that the State government had attempted to stall and derail the investigation by Central agencies by registering a crime against the investigating officer of the ED, which was later quashed by the High Court, and also constituting a judicial commission to conduct an inquiry against the activities of the Central agencies.
Charge against Jaleel
Swapna further alleged that K.T. Jaleel, MLA, had promised the UAE Consul General all the support of the State government, including the ruling political party and the Chief minister, in furthering the unauthorised business activities of the Consul General by misusing the diplomatic channel.
Dr. Jaleel had also requested Swapna to help him to take steps to see that he attained a special space in the minds of the rulers of the UAE. The Consul General also informed her that he and Dr. Jaleel had planned several business activities inside and outside Kerala and placing Dr. Jaleel in the good book of the ruler of UAE was a must.
Dr. Jaleel had also approached the petitioner citing the front page of the Madhyamam daily which carried photographs of NRIs who died due to COVID-19 in the Gulf and told her that this report had to be used for banning the publication of the newspaper in Gulf countries, which in turn would give him political leverage in his party.
Swapna claimed that he had also sent a letter to the then Sharjah ruler seeking a ban on the newspaper in the Gulf. The letter allegedly said that the report of the newspaper would do nothing but to defame Arab rulers and their citizens, she said in her reply affidavit.
