Customs to re-grill two men from Kochi in gold haul case

KOCHI: The customs has issued notices to reinterrogate two men suspected to have invested money for procuring the gold that was seized from a meat slicing machine at the Kochi airport recently. Afasl, of Muppathadam, and Sudheer, of Palachuvadu, had been taken into customs custody on Thursday, based on the statement given by Thrikkakara Municipal vice-chairman A A Ibrahimkutty’s son Shabin, who was also arrested in the case. Officers, however, were unable to extract enough evidence against the duo in the first round of interrogation, sources said. Hence, both have been asked to appear for questioning again on May 11. 

Shabin told the customs that he had invested Rs 65 lakh for procuring the gold that was smuggled into India from Dubai. He also revealed that Afsal and Sudheer had arranged the remaining Rs 35 lakh.
Officers said the money had been sent to Dubai via hawala channels. The prime accused film producer K P Sirajuddin had procured the gold in Dubai and concealed it in the meat slicer that was flown into Kochi, they added.