Kerala Cabinet recommends judicial probe against Central agencies

The Kerala Cabinet recommended a judicial probe against central investigation agencies subject to approval from the Election Commission, following ongoing probe into several cases

The Kerala Cabinet on Friday recommended a judicial probe against central investigation agencies subject to approval from the Election Commission, following ongoing probe into several cases, including the Kerala gold smuggling case.

The decision was taken at a virtual cabinet meeting here chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

Speaking to ANI, Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Vijayaraghavan alleged that the agencies were being "misused and were guided by political motives".

"The experience of Kerala over the last seven to eight months shows that different central agencies are being misused rather than finding the truth behind gold smuggling. We need to know the truth.. they (agencies) have failed miserably. These agencies have always worked with political motives," Vijayaraghavan said.

The Pinarayi Vijayan-government had, in November last year, withdrawn general consent accorded to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for registering cases in the state.

The Cabinet has appointed Retired Judge KV Mohanan as the Commissioner. He will consider the controversial audio recording of Swapna Suresh, the prime accused in the gold smuggling case, and a letter written by co-accused PS Sarith.

Another accused in the case, Sandeep Nair, had alleged that Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials had ''pressurised'' him to name Vijayan in the case.

The Kerala gold smuggling case, which is being probed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA,) along with the Enforcement Directorate and the customs department, pertains to the smuggling of gold in the state through diplomatic channels.

The matter had come to light after 30 kg gold worth Rs 14.82 crores, smuggled in a consignment camouflaged as diplomatic baggage, was busted by customs in Thiruvananthapuram on July 5 last year.

The customs department had also arrested Unitac Builders MD Santhosh Eappen also in a US Dollar smuggling case.