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Thiruvananthapuram:
Facing flak from the opposition demanding his resignation, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi looking for his “intervention for an effective investigation” into the seizure of over 30 kg gold on the International Airport.
P Vijayan, in his letter, stated that the case had critical 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 conducting inquiry 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,” P Vijayan stated.
He additionally requested an investigation into the incident by central companies involved, saying that the scope of the probe ought to cowl all points from the supply to the top utilisation in order that such incidents don’t recur.
He additionally stated the state authorities will present all obligatory help for the probe.
Following allegations {that a} former girl worker of a overseas Consulate, being investigated by the customs within the matter, was additionally an appointee of PricewaterhouseCoopers, a consulting company, the PWC stated a Delhi-NCR based mostly third get together company had carried out the felony file verification and located there have been no felony circumstances in opposition to her.
Meanwhile, Union Minister for state V Muraleedharan advised reporters in Delhi that the luggage during 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 requisite papers,” Mr Muraleedharan stated.
He additionally stated that the centre will probe the matter diligently and culprits will probably 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 also an 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,” V Muraleedharan stated.
He claimed these within the state authorities have been attempting to save lots of the accused.
Hitting again, state Industries Minister E P Jayarajan alleged that one of many accused within 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,” Mr Jayarajan stated.
Leader of the opposition within the Kerala Assembly Ramesh Chennithala has alleged that the previous girl worker of a overseas Consulate, being investigated by the customs within 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 involved worker.
The PWC additionally stated that the company has particularly confirmed that felony file verification was carried out by them and there have been no felony circumstances discovered in opposition to her as per the report.
Kerala has been on the boil over the gold smuggling by means of an alleged diplomatic baggage with the Opposition events up in arms looking for resignation of Chief Minister.
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