CBI summons Swapna Suresh in Life Mission case

KOCHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) issued notice to Swapna Suresh, the prime accused in the Kerala Gold Smuggling Case, to appear before the probe officials for questioning in the Life Mission Case.

The CBI has asked her to appear on Monday at 10.30 a.m. The case pertains to the Life Mission project of the State Government.

The project was intended to build houses for 140 families in Wadakkanchery in Thrissur district through the Life Mission by spending Rs 14.50 crore out of Rs 18.50 crore granted by the Red Crescent via the UAE consulate.

The contract noted the construction of a health care centre using the remaining amount. UNITAC builders, who have the contract of the project, earlier alleged via its managing director Santhosh Eapan that the accused including Swapna had received a bribe worth Rs 4.48 crore for the project.

Swapna Suresh on Thursday alleged that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is "harassing" her because she is trying to bring the truth out in the Gold Smuggling Case.

While talking to media persons, Suresh said, "Kerala CM, who is supposed to protect the public has put me to starvation now. He's harassing me because I am trying to bring the truth out. He can't just do things for his daughter. He has to consider all of us as daughters."

"The day before yesterday, Crime Branch interrogated me in the conspiracy case registered against me. Basically, it was harassment. The investigation team asked me to step down from HRDS INDIA and to drop my lawyer, Krishna Raj. This is a threat," she added.

On July 5, 2020, 30 kilograms of 24-carat gold worth Rs 14.82 crores was seized by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs at Thiruvananthapuram Airport from a diplomatic bag that was meant to be delivered to the UAE Consulate in Thiruvananthapuram.

M Sivasankar, the principal secretary to Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan, was suspended and removed from the post after a preliminary inquiry confirmed that he had links with Swapna Suresh, one of the accused in the National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe.