Security upped for Swapna Suresh in jail

Thiruvananthapuram: Jail authorities have tightened security for Swapna Suresh, a key accused in the gold smuggling case, over fears of threat to life. This follows her submission to court that a few of her visitors at the jail had threatened to eliminate her and family members if she named key people who had a hand in the smuggling.

A woman warder will be deployed outside Swapna's room and armed police personnel outside the jail 24/7 for her security.

Swapna is currently lodged in the women's jail at Attakulangara in Thiruvananthapuram district.

A few days ago Swapna had given a complaint before the court alleging that a few people had visited her at the jail and threatened to do away with her and her entire family if she revealed the names of VIPs in the case. Based on the complaint the court had ordered tightening of her security in jail.

Meanwhile, Jail DIG (south zone) jAjayakumar visited Swapna in jail following the instructions of jail DGP Rishiraj Singh to conduct a detailed probe into her complaint. The jail authorities stuck to their stand that besides relatives and officials of the investigating agencies, nobody else had visited Swapna.

The jail officials said they are prepared to produce the CCTV visuals of the people who came to jail and visited her. A report will be submitted to the DGP on Thursday itself.

The documents related to the visits of investigating officials were also examined. The documents revealed that only officials of the Enforcement Directorate, Customs and Vigilance had visited Swapna.

Swapna had claimed the persons who came and met her appeared to be either police personnel or jail staff. They came to jail on November 25 and reportedly threatened her several times.

The jail staff said Customs officials were present when Swapna's mother, husband, daughter and brother visited her on Wednesdays.

The jail authorities had rejected Swapna's allegations that she had faced threats inside the jail. The Prisons DGP even threatened to take legal action against BJP state president K Surendran for alleging that some people had visited Swapna in the jail.