Swapna Suresh denies role in gold smuggling, threatens to commit suicide

Kochi: In her first reaction after her name cropped up in the Thiruvananthapuram gold smuggling racket, absconding prime suspect Swapna Suresh said in an audio clip that she had no role in the crime.

In an audio clip aired by TV channels on Thursday, Swapna, a former employee associated with the state IT department, said she was being framed in the case for political gains and threatened to commit suicide if her character assassination continued through media.

She said she had contacted a Customs officer to ask about the delay in clearing a diplomatic baggage at the behest of the diplomat in the UAE consulate to whom the consignment was addressed to.

"I have no role in the smuggling of gold through diplomatic baggage. A day after the baggage arrived, a diplomat in the consulate called me and inquired about the delay in its clearance. I then called Customs AC Ramamurthy and asked him about the delay. He told me that he would take up the matter," Swapna is heard saying in the audio. Onmanorama could not independently verify the authenticity of the audio clip.

She said even when she was an employee at the consulate, she was not involved in matters relating to cargo movement or finance. "I used to work as the secretary to the consular. I have never spoken to anyone for my personal needs. I'm no more an employee there. Still, I have helped them in their works until the last Sunday. One might wonder why did I involve in the matters of the consulate when I was a contract staff of Space Park. That's because my love for the UAE where I was born and brought up," she said.

Swapna said she had spoken to the chief minister, ministers and other leaders only in her personal capacity. She said she has not gone to the houses of the chief minister or any other minister.

She rubbished the allegations that she used to party in night clubs with some important people. "There are no such incidents. There's no need to deviate from the issue. What's important is to find out who was behind the gold smuggling," she said.

She said she has gone into hiding not because she had any role in the crime, but she was afraid of those who are behind it.

Swapna's audio clip was released even as she has moved the Kerala High Court seeking anticipatory bail. However, in her bail application she has stated that she continued to do part-time work for the UAE consulate while employed with Kerala's IT department.