Kochi: The Customs' probe into the infamous Kerala gold smuggling case is apparently bringing out more murky deals involving the prime accused.

The agency now suspects that reverse hawala transactions had taken place from Kochi to the UAE through the diplomatic baggage of the UAE Consulate in the state capital Thiruvananthapuram.

Customs sources said they suspect that Swapna Suresh and P R Sarith, both former employees of the UAE Consulate, were involved in transaction of unaccounted money worth crores of rupees. The money allegedly belonged to the high and mighty, especially those in the political field. The Customs suspects that both Swapna and Sarith were mere tools and hence there lives could be in danger.

The Customs has already interrogated M Sivasankar, a top IAS officer and former secretary to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, as an accused in the reverse hawala operations and the gold smuggling case. Sivasankar was arrested on October 29 and his statements were recorded by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and later by the Customs. He is presently cooling his heels at a jail here.

In a related development on Friday morning, the Customs brought Kerala policeman Jayaghosh, who was on security duty at the UAE Consulate in the state capital, and the driver in the Consulate, Siddiq, to Kochi and their questioning is still under way.

Soon after the gold smuggling case surfaced with the arrest of Sarith on July 5, Jayaghosh had attempted suicide and was later moved to the hospital. He was subsequently suspended from service.

Ever since the case came to light, the Congress and the BJP are up in arms demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, especially after Sivasankar's arrest. Now all eyes are on C M Raveendran, Vijayan's close aide and party nominee to the post of assistant private secretary in the office of the Chief Minister, who was served the third notice on Friday to appear before the ED on December 10.

(With inputs from IANS)