Tag : Malabar

New Delhi (The Hawk): The Enforcement Directorate (ED) reported on Wednesday that it had searched the locations of four well-known jewellers in Kerala and had taken possession of 5.058 kg of gold, valued at Rs 2.51 crore. The investigation agency searched Malabar Jewellery (Malappuram), Fine Gold (Malappuram), Atlas Gold Super Markets Pvt Ltd (Kozhikode), and Aboobacker Pazhedath's residence (Malappuram). A hidden chamber used to store gold jewellery was discovered during searches, leading to the recovery and seizure of 5.058 kg of gold jewellery valued Rs 2.51 crore and Rs 3.79 lakh in cash. In response to the seizure of 30.245 kg of smuggled gold by Customs (Preventive) at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, which was disguised as diplomatic luggage of UAE Consulate, Thiruvananthapuram, the ED filed the case on the basis of a FIR registered by National Investigation Agency (NIA), Kochi, under sections 16, 17 and 18 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Sandeep Nair, Swapna Prabha Suresh, and Sarith P.S., the three accused, were detained by the economic intelligence agency in 2020. Additionally, a prosecution complaint was made against the three in 2020. A deeper look into the matter showed that M. Sivasankar, IAS, the former Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister of Kerala, had also helped the accused smuggle gold and pass off proceeds of crime as clean assets. As a result, Sivasankar was also detained by the ED on and charged as an additional accused. In 2020, a Supplementary Prosecution Complaint was submitted against the defendants, including Sivasankar. During the ongoing inquiry into the discovery of illegal gold by Customs, it was discovered that Sarith had sent his cousin Akhil S. Rs 14.98 lakh to retain in ...