Kochi: More details about the plot and execution of gold smuggling through the diplomatic route are out. Sources from the investigating agencies say main accused K T Ramees had allegedly tried to lure people to fund gold smuggling by promising a multi-crore contract for IT projects at schools.
This disclosure was made by Varikodan Abdul Hameed who was questioned by the probe agencies over the gold smuggling case.
Hameed, who arrived in Thiruvananthapuram for securing a contract for distributing digital gadgets for state government schools, was reportedly taken to meet Sandeep Nair, an accused in the gold smuggling case.
Hameed was allegedly told that Sandeep was a highly-influential person in the IT Department of the Kerala government. The agencies have initiated an investigation to ascertain whether M Sivasankar, the former IT Secretary, had a role in this move made by Ramees and Sandeep.
"I was called to Thiruvananthapuram in November 2019. Though Sandeep asked me to invest in gold smuggling, I refused," Hameed said in his statement.
But Ramees had allegedly promised Rs 10,000 per 1kg gold if he helped to take the diplomatic baggage, concealing gold, to the cargo section of the Dubai airport. Hameed accepted this offer by Ramees, according to his statement.
However, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Customs suspect that Hameed had himself bought 9kg of the smuggled gold.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED), which is probing the money-laundering deals linked to gold smuggling, is also ascertaining the veracity of Hameed's statements.
As per the ED's findings, Sivasankar had leaked files of government's development projects to the accused in the gold smuggling case. Hameed could be questioned again over this.
