Dollar smuggling case: Kerala CM’s former principal secretary chargesheeted

Dollar smuggling case: Kerala CM’s former principal secretary chargesheeted


M Sivasankar, former principal secretary of Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan was the main conspirator behind the dollar smuggling case and he attempted to cover up  the crime, says the charge sheet filed by the Customs before the Special Court for Economic Offences in Kochi

In the charge sheet, the Customs alleged that Sivasankar, who is now working as Principal Secretary of the Sports and Youth Department, Government of Kerala, was aware of the smuggling and shared an intelligence report on the same with Swapna Suresh and Sarith, both accused in the case.

Sivasankar is arraigned as sixth accused in the case. Khaled Mohamed Ali Shoukry, former finance head of the UAE Consulate in Thiruvananthapuram, Sarith, Swapna Suresh, Sandeep, and Santosh Eaapen are the other accused in the case

According to the charge sheet, the money seized from the bank locker of the gold smuggling case accused Swapna Suresh belonged to Sivasankar.

The charge sheet claimed that Sivasankar had leaked intelligence secrets to Swapna. Customs further said  that Khaled Mohamed Ali Shoukry had smuggled baggage during CM Pinarayi Vijayan’s visit to UAE in 2017.

The charge sheet also alleges that Sivasankar was behind granting the LIFE Mission  contract in Wadakkanchery to Unitac Builders.It also mentions the WhatsApp chat between Sivasankar and Swapna. It is alleged that Sivasankar had plans to start a business abroad.