Kerala Gold Smuggling Case: Had good ties with Sreeramakrishnan, Sivasankar exploited me, says Swapna Suresh

Prime accused in Kerala gold smuggling case Swapna Suresh on Saturday said that had a "good, genuine friendship and family relationship" with former Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan and that M Sivasankar, the ex-principal Secretary to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had manipulated and used her.

Speaking to ANI, she said, "I do not have any personal relationship with Chief Minister. Any relationship I had was purely professional and the point of contact was always Sivashankar. Don't have personal connections with his family members."

Suresh further said that she purely had an official relationship with former Kerala minister KT Jaleel.

"With KT Jaleel also it was purely official, he had a very close association and acquaintance with the Consul General then. With ex-Kerala Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan, we had a good, genuine friendship, family relationship," she said.

Further talking about the allegations made by Sivasankar in his upcoming autobiography

"Aswathamavu: Verum Oru Aana" in which he alleged that Swapna trapped him by gifting him an iPhone, which later proved to be a major proof against him, she said she had never expected such allegations from the latter as they had a very strong bond.

"That's very heartbreaking because I never expected Sivasankar to level such an allegation against me because our relationship was so strong we have exchanged so many emotions and so many things it's not just an I phone. So I don't think Swana Suresh had a requirement to actually cheat him by gifting an iPhone," Swapna said.

"He exploited and manipulated me," Swapna alleged.

"Well, he knows everything day-to-day affairs of my personal life official life he has always told me that it is not safe to prolonged my tenure with the Counsel General of UAE because of the malpractices and hanky panky activities that are taking place. Whatever I know as a mirror he knew till July 5," Swapna added.

Swapna further claimed that the Cargo clearance part is the responsibility of Public Relations and she was just extended to all the clerical requirements for the clearance of the baggage.

The Kerala gold smuggling case pertains to the smuggling of gold in the state through diplomatic channels. It had come to light after 30 kg gold worth Rs 14.82 crore smuggled in a consignment camouflaged as diplomatic baggage was busted by the customs department in Thiruvananthapuram on July 5, 2019.

After spending 16 months behind bars, Swapna Suresh, was released from jail in November last year.

Sivasankar was arrested on October 28, 2020, after the Kerala High Court rejected his anticipatory bail petition.

In his upcoming book, he alleged that Swapna had deceived him and that she was the mastermind of the gold smuggling racket, according to vernacular media reports.

Sivasankar was released on bail on February 4, last year.

The case is being probed by the Enforcement Directorate, National Investigative Agency (NIA) and the customs department.

(ANI)