Thiruvananthapuram: Customs sleuths seized crucial articles used to smuggle gold from the house of the fourth accused in the Thiruvananthapuram gold smuggling racket case, Sandeep Nair, at Aruvikkara on Saturday.
A microwave oven, door lock, cargo cover and cartons were recovered from the rented house of Sandeep Nair and its premises.
The checks were carried out based on the statements given by main accused P S Sarith about earlier instances of gold smuggling.
According to sources, Sarith had divulged crucial details to investigating officers on Friday evening.
Raid at Sivasankar's flat
Sarith had also told the officers that the accused in the case had held discussions at the flat of former IT secretary Sivasankar in Thiruvananthapuram. Based on this, a search operation was carried out at the flat of Sivasankar too. The inspection lasted around one-and-a-half hours.
According to reports, the officers have seized visitors' register and CCTV footages to verify the claims of the accused.
The officers also questioned the caretaker and security guards and seized the register containing the details of the residents there.
Meanwhile, Sivasankar told reporters that he welcomes any probe. "Let the probe go on. I can't say anything more at this moment," he said.
The Customs had seized gold, worth Rs 13.5 crore, from a diplomatic baggage addressed to the UAE Consulate in Thiruvananthapuram last week. The probe had revealed the role of Sarith and Swapna Suresh. After allegations were raised that Swapna had close ties with Sivasankar, he was removed as the Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister and IT secretary.
Later, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) was asked to take over the probe by the Union Home Ministry.
The NIA sleuths questioned Sarith at the Customs Commissionerate office on Saturday. The interrogation that started in the morning continued late into the night.
While Sarith was taken into custody by the Customs on July 5, the NIA had nabbed Swapna Suresh and Sandeep Nair on Saturday.
Customs' missive to DGP
Customs Preventive Commissioner Sumit Kumar has shot off a missive to the state DGP, pointing out that the Kerala Police have the liability to help the agency in the gold smuggling case.
The Commissioner said that other agencies are liable to cooperate with them and hence sent the official letter.
A special probe team led by Kochi City DCP G Poonguzhali has been formed based on DGP's directives, City Police Commissioner Vijay Sakhare has said.