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Facing flak from the opposition demanding his resignation, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday shot off a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his “intervention for an effective investigation” into the seizure of over 30 kg gold on the International Airport.
Vijayan, in his letter stated, the case had severe implications because it undermines the nation’s economic system.
“The fact that the attempt to smuggle huge quantity of gold was concealed in diplomatic baggage makes the matter extremely serious. It is learnt that customs officials are conductinginquiry into the incident. The case has serious implications as this undermines the economy of the nation.In fact, it has more than one angle warranting a thorough investigation,” Vijayan stated.
He additionally requested an efficient and coordinated investigation into the incident by central businesses involved and the scope of the probe ought to cowl all features fromthe sourceto the top utilisation in order that such incidents don’t recur.
He additionally stated the state authorities will present all vital help for the probe. Following allegations {that a} former girl worker of a overseas Consulate, being investigated by the customs in the matter, was additionally an appointee of PricewaterhouseCoopers, a consulting company, the PWC stated a Delhi NCR primarily based third get together company had carried out the legal file verification and located there have been no legal instances in opposition to her.
Meanwhile, Union Minister for state V Muraleedharan instructed reporters in Delhi that the bags in which the gold was hid was not “diplomatic baggage.”
“We cannot call it diplomatic baggage. But it’s a cargo that came for a diplomat. A diplomatic baggage is an official package sent from any country in an official manner. Here some person had sent a parcel to a person with diplomatic immunity. On the airway bill it was written diplomatic baggage. The person who came to receive the package was not having the requisitepapers,” Muraleedharan stated.
He additionally stated that the centre will probe the matter diligently and culprits can be booked.
“It”s the duty of the centre to investigate the smuggling.But the Chief Minister’s office must come clean about his close aides having ties with the accused persons. A woman, formerly employed with the IT department, who is alsoan accused in the matter, participated in major events organised by the government and even coordinated the same.How can the chief minister evade the responsibility,” Muraleedharan stated.
He claimed these in the state authorities had been making an attempt to save the accused.
“The state government has to come clean in this matter and not the centre,” Muraleedharan stated.
Hitting again, state Industries Minister E P Jayarajan alleged that one of many absconding accused in the case was a BJP employee.
“We all now know that Sandeep Nair, who is absconding in the case, is a man with very close contacts with senior BJP leaders including Kummanam Rajashekharan.His social media accounts prove the same. His mother also told the media that he was a BJP worker. And now this person is absconding.This is just an attempt to tarnish the image of the state government,” Jayarajan stated.
Leader of the opposition in the Kerala Assembly Ramesh Chennithala has alleged that the previous girl worker of a overseas Consulate, being investigated by the customs in the matter, was additionally an appointee of PricewaterhouseCoopers, a consulting company.
He stated the position of PWC should even be probed.
Meanwhile, the PWC stated in a press release: “As per the background verification report provided to the Delhi NCR based third party agency, specialising in short term resource provisioning and on whose payroll the concerned employee was, both her past employers, namely the Consulate General of the UAE, Kerala and AirIndia Sats Airport Services Pvt, confirmed eligibility to rehire the concerned employee.”
“They also confirmed that the information provided by the said person with respect to her professional experience was accurate,” PWC stated in a press release.
The PWC additionally stated that the company has particularly confirmed that legal file verification was carried out by them and there have been no legal instances discovered in opposition to her as per the report.
Kerala has been on the boil over the gold smuggling by way of an alleged diplomatic baggage with the Opposition events up in arms seeking resignation of Chief Minister.
“The United Democratic Front demands the resignation and we have planned widespread protests in the state following all COVID-19 protocols,” Chennithala stated.
With the Congress and BJP stepping up their assault,the left authorities on Tuesday eliminated M Sivasankar, who was the secretary to the Chief Minister and the IT Principal secretary, after the opposition focused him for the appointment of a lady official of the IT division, alleged to be the ”kingpin” and who was being investigated by the Crime Branch in one other case. Soon after he was eliminated as secretary to CM, Sivasankar went on go away from his IT put up. Subsequently,he was faraway from that put up too.
Vijayan had yesterday dismissed all of the allegations and stated the “controversial woman” was not related to the Chief Minister”s workplace. With the girl,a former worker of a overseas nation’s consulate in Kerala, on the run, the Customs has stated it was planning to situation a lookout discover in opposition to her.
The central company’s transfer got here a day after it arrested a person, who claimed himself to be a former worker of a overseas nation”s consulate, in reference to the seizure of gold price over Rs 15 crore from a “diplomatic baggage” at Thiruvananthapuram worldwide airport on Sunday.
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