Gold smuggling through diplomatic channel: HC to hear Swapna Suresh's bail plea on July 29

The Kerala High Court on Friday said it will hear on July 29 all the bail pleas of the accused, including Swapna Suresh, in the case registered by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in connection with the gold smuggling through diplomatic channel incident which occurred in July last year.

A bench of Justices K Vinod Chandran and Ziyad Rahman A A said it had on Thursday listed similar matters for hearing on July 29 to await the Supreme Court's decision in related pleas.

Suresh has approached the high court against the NIA court order denying bail.

Opposing her plea, NIA has filed its statement of objections regarding the same.

In her bail application, Suresh has said the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act case against her will not stand the test of law.

She has also said the trial in the case was prolonging endlessly.

The bail applications of seven accused in the case, including Suresh, K T Ramees, Sandeep Nair and P S Sarith,were dismissed by the NIA Special court on March 22.

Various central investigating agencies are probing the gold smuggling case after nearly 15 kg of gold was seized at Thiruvananthapuram airport on July 5 last year from a diplomatic baggage addressed to the UAE consulate there.