Not a single strand of my hair did anything wrong: KT Jaleel on Kerala gold smuggling allegations

Kerala Higher Education Minister KT Jaleel on Friday said that he was going to move forward without paying heed to the accusations surrounding his alleged involvement in the gold smuggling case, as "not a single strand of (his) hair had done anything wrong".

"No matter which investigative agency questions me, nothing will be revealed as there is nothing there. I am moving forward without paying attention to anyone. Not a single strand of my hair has done anything wrong," Jaleel said in a Facebook post (roughly translated from Malayalam), a day after he was interrogated by the National Investigative Agency (NIA).

"I have sympathy for the media friends who provide real-time information on my movements, where I travel and where I live to rioters to endanger me," he added.

He further said that he had been called yesterday by the NIA for 'Notice to Witness' under Section 160 of the Code of Criminal Procedure which had been "misconstructed" by the media.

"The NIA had called me for a "Notice to Witness" under Section 160 of CrPC. This was widely circulated to imply "do you have any last thing to say" before being sentenced to be hanged. When the copy of the NIA's notice came out at 8 pm yesterday, the miscreants changed their move. I am moving forward with courage and without paying attention to anyone because I have nothing to hide," he added.

He further said, "A person who has a total of 19.5 cent of the land, a house which has been mortgaged to take a loan of Rs 5 lakhs, only has the balance of his (Jaleel) and his wife's salaries at his expense with no savings in banks, who should he be afraid of? For a public servant who does not own a vehicle or a sovereign of gold, who should I be afraid of other than God? My opponents may be able to kill me. But they can never defeat me.''

Jaleel also shared a newspaper article titled 'Jaleel is Mad outside jail?' while saying: "The given image is an article published in the Janmabhumi, a mouthpiece of the Sangh Parivar. Does anyone need more proof than this regarding what the fascists are trying to tie?"

He was questioned by the NIA and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the Kerala gold smuggling case on Thursday. Several protests have been held across the state, including the capital Thiruvananthapuram and outside his residence, seeking his resignation from the cabinet over the same.

The gold smuggling case, which is being probed by the NIA, ED and the Customs department, pertains to the smuggling of gold in the state through diplomatic channels.

The matter had come to light after 30 kg gold worth Rs 14.82 crores smuggled in a consignment camouflaged as diplomatic baggage was busted by the Customs in Thiruvananthapuram on July 5.

( With inputs from ANI )