Kerala Gold smuggling case: Customs questions M Sivasankar for 11 hours

According to official sources,Sivasankar has been asked to appear before the agency again on October 13. He left the office at 10 pm after completing today''s interrogation

Customs Department questioned M Sivasankar former principal secretary to Kerala Chief Minister, for 11 hours on Saturday in connection with the gold smuggling case.

He left Commissionerate of Customs (Preventive) after the interrogation. The Customs already questioned him for 11 hours on Friday.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED), which recently submitted a chargesheet in the Kerala gold smuggling case in a special (PMLA) court in Kochi, had said Sivasankar was a key person in the present government and his role has to be thoroughly investigated in the entire episode.

The Kerala gold smuggling case, which is being probed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), 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 the Customs in Thiruvananthapuram on July 5.