Kochi: The Enforcement Directorate has received legal opinion to proceed against Kerala Police personnel who are suspected to have made attempts to aid the key accused in the dollar smuggling case linked to the UAE Consulate in Thiruvananthapuram. The Intelligence Bureau has been requested to ascertain the antecedents of these police personnel and submit a report.
The ED has received legal advice that if evidence is found against the police personnel that they were tarnishing the reputation of the probe agency and creating fake evidence in a case involving national security, then strong legal action be initiated against them.
Recently, a few police personnel have given statements before the Crime Branch questioning the integrity of the ED. Moreover, two accused Swapna Suresh and Sandeep Nair had claimed that ED officials had forced them to give statement against the chief minister. A lady copy guarding Swapna had even endorsed her claim.
The ED suspects that there is a deliberate ploy to defame them so as to secure top political authorities in an election season in the state.
Vested interests are likely behind the claims and charges of the cops, the ED authorities feel.
Initially, it was through an audio tape said to be in the voice of Swapna Suresh that an apparent propaganda was launched that she has been forced by the ED officials to incriminate the Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan.
Last year this sensational audio clip was available in public domain. The female voice stated that she was forced by investigators to name VIPs.
Swapna has given a statement saying that the voice in the clip is hers and she had spoken to another person on the instructions of the police woman who was deployed for her security.
Swapna also disclosed that the woman police officer had assured her that there were people outside capable of saving her.
The ED has received the legal opinion to approach the economic offences (principal sessions) court, Ernakulam, which is considering the cases registered under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, on the basis of these statements.
The court has directed the investigating officials to file a report on the allegations levelled by Sandeep Nair and the police personnel against the ED by March 26.
Meanwhile, the ED is gearing up to proceed strongly on the basis of Swapna's statements which have not come out in the public domain till now.
