Kerala gold smuggling accused Swapna Suresh claims CM Pinarayi Vijayan helped a terrorist escape

Movie plots don't hold a candle to the real-life multi-nation political thriller brewing in Kerala since 2020. The diplomatic gold smuggling case has new and damning updates. Prime accused, Swapna Suresh, has more to say about the alleged involvement of Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan, his family and other members of the incumbent state government. 

The latest allegations: On August 8, 2022, Swapna Suresh told media persons that in 2017, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan helped a UAE national with suspicious activity escape the law in India. She termed the UAE national, a terrorist. 

CM (of Kerala, Pinarayi Vijayan) supports every illegal terrorist activity for smoothening the business requirements... for his daughter Veena: Swapna Suresh, prime accused in the Kerala Gold Smuggling Case

— ANI (@ANI) August 8, 2022

Why did the Kerala CM help a UAE national escape? According to Swapna Suresh, Pinarayi Vijayan interfered due to his daughter's business interests in the UAE. 

Why was the UAE national arrested? On June 30, 2017, a UAE national arrived at Kozhikode airport. He remained in the state for four days and was apprehended by officials while returning. Reportedly, he was found in possession of a satellite phone without any clearance. Satellite phones are banned in India and carrying them requires special permission. They are often associated with terrorist activities. 

Swapna Suresh claimed that the Kerala CM's office intervened after receiving a call from UAE officials. She said that while it was natural for UAE officials to contact their Indian counterparts when one of their citizens is in trouble in a foreign country, it was unnatural for the state government to intervene in such cases. She also claimed that the suspect was let off without his activities in Kerala investigated. 

This is not the first time Swapna Suresh has made damning claims about Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan, his family, or members of the state government.

The Sharjah ruler visit in 2017

Suresh claimed that Pinarayi Vijayan broke protocols while arranging an unscheduled meeting with the ruler of Sharjah in 2017. The Sharjah ruler came for a 5-day visit to Kerala and according to his MEA-approved itinerary, he was slated to visit Kozhikode. However, there was a last-minute change in his schedule and he went to visit Thiruvananthapuram. This was reportedly not informed to the MEA.

Sheikh Sultan Bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, ruler of Sharjah & member of Supreme Council of UAE arrives in Trivandrum, received by Kerala CM. pic.twitter.com/4qHek9scL4

— ANI (@ANI) September 24, 2017

Pinarayi Vijayan and a few others held a private meeting with the ruler reportedly for the smooth setting up of CM's daughter Veena's business in Sharjah.

Moreover, Suresh also claimed that she was instructed by Vijayan himself to connect his wife Kamala and the princess of Sharjah. Pinarayi Vijayan was planning to bribe the princess of Sharjah with gold for his daughter's business.

Swapna Suresh also claims threat to her life from those in the government high offices for revealing their involvement in the case. 

#EXCLUSIVE
Gold scam prime accused Swapna Suresh speaks to India Today, alleges threat to her life#FirstUp| @Akshita_N pic.twitter.com/rQaqVnQZTZ

— IndiaToday (@IndiaToday) July 5, 2022

The tale of the Swapna Suresh: 

Swapna Suresh, a resident of UAE, started to work at the UAE Consulate-General office in Thiruvananthapuram in 2016. Her exposure to the Emirates and fluency in Arabic won her the post. 

However, in 2019, she was sacked from the office over a criminal case against her. Before joining the Consulate office, she was working as an HR executive with Air India SATS, where she allegedly tried to frame bogus sexual harassment charges against an airport staff. 

After being sacked from the Consulate office, she joined as a business development manager with Kerala State Information Technology Infrastructure Limited (KSITIL), a flagship programme of the Kerala state government. She was reportedly referred by the then Principal Secretary to Kerala CM Sivasankar, who was also the chairman at KSITIL.

According to Suresh, she was first contacted by Sivasankar in 2016, to send a bag immediately to Dubai during Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan's visit to the UAE. The CM had reportedly forgotten the bag. Suresh later said that the bag was filled with currency. 

His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohamed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member & Ruler of #Sharjah, has graciously accepted to visit #Kerala. pic.twitter.com/rs4jRqhhVe

— CMO Kerala (@CMOKerala) December 23, 2016

The case: On July 5, 2020, the gold smuggling case came to light. The Customs department seized 30 kg of gold from a bag that was camouflaged as a diplomatic bag and was immune to checks. The customs department was acting on a tip-off. Subsequently, a multi-agency probe was started and at least 30 were arrested including Swapna Suresh. Suresh and everyone else are now out on bail. 

Reports say it is the first time in independent India's history that such massive smuggling was carried out in a foreign diplomatic office's name. 

Swapna Suresh, Sivasankar and the Kerala government's names have all cropped up in the Life Mission housing project scam as well.