Kerala: Customs officials summons ACAAI member for interrogation in gold smuggling case

The Customs officials on Saturday summoned a member of the Air Cargo Association of India (ACAAI) for interrogation, in connection with a gold smuggling case in Kerala.

According to an official, he had allegedly pressurized the customs department at the Thiruvananthapuram airport to release the diplomatic baggage which carried the smuggled gold.

The Customs officials questioned him for around nine hours. This comes after 30 kg gold worth Rs 15 crore was seized at the Thiruvananthapuram international airport, last month, concealed in diplomatic consignment.

As the Centre has approved the National Investigation Agency probe in the case, the NIA on Friday registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Sarith Kumar, Swapna Suresh and Sandeep Nair, the three persons allegedly involved in the case.

On Friday, the members of Youth League, the youth wing of the Indian Union Muslim League staged a protest in Kozhikode to demand the resignation of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan over gold smuggling case.

( With inputs from ANI )