NIA gets 7-days custody of prime accused in Kerala gold smuggling case

Sarith was arrested last week in connection with the seizure of gold worth nearly Rs 15 crore from a "diplomatic baggage" at Thiruvananthapuram international airport recently

A prime accused in the sensational

Kerala gold smuggling case was sent to NIA custody for seven days by a special court here on Friday.

Considering the application filed by the investigation agency, the NIA special court granted custody of Sarith P S, a former employee of UAE consulate in Kerala.

Sarith was arrested by the Customs (Preventive) Commissionerate last week in connection with the seizure of gold worth nearly Rs 15 crore from a "diplomatic baggage" at Thiruvananthapuram international airport recently.

He was under the custody of the Customs Preventive Commissionerate till July 15.

Sarith will be interrogated in the presence of Swapna Suresh and Sandeep Nair, two other arrested accused already in the custody of NIA.

In its application seeking the custody of Sarith, NIA said he was one of the prime accused in the case and his custodial interrogation is required to unearth the truth and larger conspiracy in the gold smuggling case.

Meanwhile, sleuths from the Customs (Preventive) Commissionerate probing the case conducted raids at various locations on Friday.

Sources said the ancestral residence of Gulf- based businessman Faizal Fareed was raided by the sleuths.

Fareed is also named as an accused by the NIA in the case.