Kerala gold smuggling case: After Swapna Suresh's explosive revelations, opposition demands resignation of Vijayan

On Tuesday, Swapna Suresh went to record her secret statement under Section 164 before a Judicial First Class Magistrate Court in Kochi. During this, Suresh informed the court about the Kerala CM, his wife, and his daughter's involvement in the case. Recalling how the entire scam began she said that in 2016, M Sivasankar, the former principal secretary to Kerala CM has asked her to send baggage to Dubai which belonged to Vijayan. However, when the bag was brought to the consulate, they found that it contained currencies.

 

"It all began way back in 2016 when the CM was on a trip to UAE. It was then that Sivasankar contacted me first, since I was the secretary in the consulate. He told me that the chief minister had forgotten one of his bags and it had to be taken to Dubai immediately. We sent the bag to the CM through a diplomat in the consulate. When it was brought to the consulate we found that there was money in it. That’s how it all started."

 

 

She further revealed that vessels, containing heavy metals, were taken to the Cliff House, the CM's official residence, from the consul general's residence in Thiruvananthapuram, based on the instructions of Sivasankar. Suresh said more details about the entire case cannot be revealed as per the court’s direction.

 

Following the allegation, Congress state president K. Sudhakaran asked CM Vijayan to resign immediately and also demanded a judicial or CBI inquiry under the supervision of the court. "It is a disgrace to democracy that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is continuing in office. If there is an iota of self-respect, he should resign and show democratic wisdom, guts, and righteousness," he said.

 

 

Meanwhile, in reaction to that, CM Vijayan termed the allegation as a part of the political agenda to destabilise his government. "These comments by the accused are part of the political agenda. The public had already dismissed this agenda. After an interval, they are making the accused repeat the same statement. There is not even an iota of facts in this allegation. If you think that by spreading these lies, you can destroy the determination of the government and political leadership, I am reminding you that this is a futile exercise," he said.

 

 

 

"I strongly believe that society will give an apt reply to those who think that they can benefit from this," the CM Vijayan added. Stating that the public will dismiss the "fake allegations" aimed at tarnishing his government, CM Vijayan said that it works for the "comprehensive development and social welfare of Kerala".

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