Kerala gold smuggling case: Congress calls for parallel CBI probe

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Congress in the state has demanded a CBI probe into the gold smuggling case along with the NIA probe. The political affairs committee meeting of the party that was held in the state capital on Friday demanded the state government to urge the Centre for a CBI probe.
KPCC president Mullappally Ramachandran said that the present state police chief had worked with the NIA earlier and hence can influence the probe. Therefore a parallel CBI probe is needed. M Sivasankar’s connection with the controversial lady has become evident. Hence the involvement of CM’s office also has to be probed, he said.
Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala said that the audio tape of Swapna Suresh has been prepared under the influence of police and the CPM. “Our demand is that Sivasankar should be questioned to know about the deals he has made with the gang and also his involvement in the controversial appointments in IT department,” said Ramesh.
CM welcomes NIA probe: Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan welcomed the NIA probe. The state government had written to the Centre seeking an impartial probe.
“We cannot demand the probe by a particular agency. That has to be decided by the Centre. The NIA is an agency that has clean track record of probing such cases,” he said.