Speaker's nod required to question Kerala House official, says Assembly Secretary's letter to Customs

Kerala Assembly Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan's office on Wednesday issued a letter to the Customs Department over the agency's move to interrogate his Assistant Private Secretary K Ayyappan, in connection with the dollar smuggling case.

The letter written by Assembly Secretary SV Unnikrishnan Nair stated that Speaker's permission was required to interrogate Speaker's Assistant Private Secretary.

The letter stated that, "There are matters in which Speaker has the sovereign power. Hence to question someone who comes under Assembly Secretariat, the Speaker's permission is required."

Customs had served a notice to Ayyappan to appear for interrogation on Wednesday. However, he informed the Department through the mail that he cannot appear before it due to the busy schedule of the Kerala assembly session beginning from Friday.

The Department issued the summons on Tuesday asking him to appear before it on Wednesday at its Kochi office. This was the second time the Customs has issued a notice to Ayyappan.

The dollar smuggling came to light during the investigation of the Kerala gold smuggling case, which is currently being probed by the National Investigation Agency, the Enforcement Directorate, and the Customs department.

The matter, which pertains to the smuggling of gold in the state through diplomatic channels, 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 )