T’PURAM/KOCHI: The Commissionerate of Customs (preventive) questioned speaker P Sreeramakrishnan in connection with the currency smuggling case. He was questioned reportedly from 11am to 7pm at his residence in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday based on statements given by the key accused in the gold smuggling case, Swapna Suresh and Sarith P S.
They had reportedly given statements before the agencies that Sreeramakrishnan was involved in dollar smuggling abroad. A team of Customs officials interrogated the speaker after he did not turn up before the agency despite receiving a notice to appear before it on Thursday.
The Customs sleuths also conducted a search in the apartment near the international terminal gate of the Thiruvananthapuram airport, where Swapna, Sarith and Swapna’s husband Jaya Sankar had reportedly met Sreeramakrishnan and a bag containing currency notes was allegedly handed over to them by the speaker. It is learnt that the Customs will interrogate the speaker again on the basis of the searches.
Sources said that the speaker had told Customs that he had seen former Consul general Jamal Al Zaabi but was not close to him. He has also admitted to knowing Swapna but denied having any financial dealings with her. He has denied the allegations of having investments in a college in Muscat as well. The speaker has told the sleuths that his siblings were abroad and he used to go there to meet them. He has also told Customs that bags and pens with logos were given as gifts to visitors at the assembly, sources said.
In his statement before the ED officials, Sarith had said that Sreeramakrishnan had telephoned Swapna and had asked her to reach an apartment in Chakai-Sanghumukham road in the capital, which, according to the speaker, belonged to one of his relatives. Swapna, Sarith and Swapna’s husband Jaya Sankar visited the apartment and while they returned, Sreeramakrishnan handed over a bag to them, the contents of which was meant for chief accountant of UAE consulate Khalid Al Shoukri. The bag contained a bundle of currency notes, according to Sarith’s statement.
In her statement to the Customs as well as the ED officials, Swapna too had said that Sreeramakrishnan had business interests in the Middle East. As per her statement, Sreeramakrishnan had sought an appointment with the ruler of Sharjah during his visit to the state for seeking some land free of cost in Sharjah, for opening the branch of Oman-based Middle East College in Sharjah.
Meanwhile, the office of the speaker said that the speaker had already informed that he was ready to give an explanation to all the controversies related to him. Upholding the constitutional status of the speaker, the Customs had sought his convenience to seek clarification in such matters. Only one notice was served to him earlier, the statement from his office said. There were reports that the Customs had served notices thrice to the speaker, but he had not turned up.