Kochi: As the two key accused in the high-profile gold smuggling busted at the Trivandrum International Airport were arrested from their Bengaluru hideout, many wondered how could they flee from the Kerala capital when a lockdown over the COVID-19 pandemic was on there. Even more baffling is an odd delay in their trip just as their car crossed the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border abutting the Palakkad-Coimbatore districts.
Accused Swapna Suresh and Sandeep Nair were arrested from a hotel in Bengaluru on July 12 after they had vanished from Thiruvanathapuram soon after 30 kg gold sent in a UAE diplomatic bag was seized by the Indian Customs on July 5.
As investigators try to join the dots by scrutinising the places they visited and people who likely contacted them during their flight, it has been found their vehicle crossed the Walayar toll plaza on the Kerala frontier around 1:39pm on July 9. But it reached the Chavadi checkpost on the Tamil Nadu side only around 3:27pm. It is not clear why it took nearly two hours to cover the 4 km from Walayar when the distance should have been covered in under 10 minutes. The investigators are not sure where they spent the intervening time.
It is likely that the duo met someone or waited for instructions from those handling the smuggling racket after they crossed Walayar, say investigators.
After entering Tamil Nadu through the Walayar border, the car passed through the Chavadi checkpost, where the details of the vehicle have been recorded.
According to the records at the Chavadi checkpost there were five people in the car, including the driver. As per records Sandeep, the fourth accused in the case, was driving the vehicle. The checkpost register also mentions a mobile number.
The visuals of the vehicle have been recorded by the CCTV cameras at the Paliyekkara toll plaza in Kerala's Thrissur district, but not at Walayar.
According to toll officials, there was no electricity for about 3-4 minutes when the vehicle had arrived at Chavadi. Investigators, however, point out that there is UPS backup at toll plazas for the CCTVs to function even when there is no electricity.
The car registered in Swapna’s name, with the number KL01 CJ 1981, passed through the Palliyekkara toll plaza at 12:22pm on July 9 and the Walayar toll plaza at 1:39pm. Manorama has obtained the CCTV visuals of the vehicle crossing the toll plazas.
Chavadi is in Coimbatore district, near the Tamil Nadu-Kerala border. As part of COVID restrictions, the checkposts at the borders in Tamil Nadu have been collecting complete details of vehicles and passengers entering from Kerala.
Swapna’s husband and children were also in the car. They got a COVID pass from Tamil Nadu for their trip that started at Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala. The obtained the pass by saying they were headed for Maharashtra.
Manorama has obtained the details recorded at the checkpost.
Investigators said Swapna and Sandeep reached Bengaluru from Thiruvananthapuram via Varkala, Kochi, Walayar and Salem.
Toll plaza records also reveal Swapna made the journey to Bengaluru at normal speed. No camera has caught the vehicle violating the speed limits anywhere. However, on July 12, after Swapna and Sandeep were arrested in Bengaluru, cameras have caught the same car speeding at Attappallam in Walayar and Kanjikode, both in Palakkad district.
The Walayar checkpost has recorded the same car returning to Kerala at 11:27am on July 12, the day the NIA brought Swapna and Sandeep to Kochi after they were arrested in Bengaluru a day earlier. Swapna’s husband and children were in the car behind the NIA vehicles carrying Swapna and Sandeep.
Incidentally, the same car was fined on May 31 for overspending at Kowdiar in Thiruvananthapuram on May 31.
What is intriguing is that Swapna and Sandeep travelled about 350 km in Kerala at a time the investigations against them in the smuggling case had intensified. They were not stopped anywhere despite the police having complete details of their car, indicating that intervention from the top level in the state machinery could have helped them escape.
Here's the route map
Swapna and her gang left Thiruvananthapuram on July 5 itself, the day the smuggled gold was seized at the Trivandrum International Airport.
They left about 5pm that day after it was announced that Thiruvananthapuram will be under triple lockdown for a week from July 6, and reached a hideout in Varkala. Swapna and her family and Sandeep stayed at the place for two days.
While staying at Varkala, they applied for a COVID pass to travel through Tamil Nadu and obtained it.
On July 7 morning, they left for Kochi to meet a lawyer to move an anticipatory bail application in the Kerala High Court.
After the National Investigation Agency (NIA) took over the case and slapped the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act against them, they realised they will not get an anticipatory bail.
In Kochi, they stayed in a hotel near the shipyard. When they realised the place would not be safe in view of the NIA investigation, they moved to a friend's property in Thrippunithura.
On July 9, they left for Bengaluru via Thrissur, Palakkad and Salem.
They reached the Walayar toll plaza around 12.22pm and exited Kerala territory around 1.39pm. They then crossed the Chavadi checkpost, Coimbatore, Salem and Hosur to reach Karnataka. They reached Bengaluru via Attibele.
The NIA arrested them on July 11 evening from a serviced apartment in Koramangala 7th block in Bengaluru and brough them to Kochi on July 12.
