Kochi: The central probe agencies are all set to verify gold smuggling case accused Swapna Suresh's statements that UAE Consul General had made a private visit to the Kerala Chief Minister's official residence in 2017.
During the Consul General's visit, the Chief Minister had unofficially said that M Sivasankar would be the 'point of contact' between the state government and the UAE Consulate, according to Swapna's statements.
Subsequently, she contacted Sivasankar for matters concerning the UAE Consulate and that is how she became acquainted with him, Swapna said in her statements.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had earlier rejected Swapna's statement that her recruitment to the Space Park was made with the CM's knowledge. Thus, the central agencies have now decided to ascertain the truth in her other statements regarding the CM.
Swapna has not been able to specify on which date in 2017 the Consul General visited the CM's official residence, the Cliff House.
However, her statements hint that several such private visits were made by the Consul General.
The visitors' register at the Cliff House will have to be checked to verify Swapna's statements.
Swapna had also revealed that Sivasankar, the former principal secretary to the CM, informed her about the Space Park job and advised her to apply through PWC.
Swapna got commission earlier too?
Swapna also said that she had got commission for a project to renovate 150 houses that were damaged in the massive floods of 2018 in Kerala. Earlier, she had claimed that Unitac Builders gave her commission for helping them secure the contract for the Life Mission project at Wadakkanchery.
Swapna made the latest revelation about the commission in her statements to the Enforcement Directorate (ED).