The Customs, probing the Kerala gold and dollar smuggling case on Friday informed the Kerala High Court that Swapna Suresh, the prime accused in the case, has stated that smuggling of the US currency was done at the instance of Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Assembly Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan with the help of the UAE Consul General.

Kicking up a political storm in the election-bound state, Sumit Kumar, Commissioner of Customs (preventive), Kochi, in an affidavit filed before the Kerala High Court has stated that Swapna Suresh has made “shocking revelations” against chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan on his close connections with the previous Consul General of UAE Thiruvananthapuram.

Swapna had further mentioned about the improper and illegal activities of three state Cabinet ministers and the Speaker, he claimed.

Swapna’s close connection with the CM, his former Principal Secretary and a personal staff was also disclosed in her statement. She was aware of all the transactions and was a witness to it as she was well versed in the Arabic language and had acted as a translator in these crucial deals, the affidavit said.

The statement was filed by the Customs Commissioner in response to a petition filed by the Director-General of Prisons and Correctional Services, Kerala, against certain remarks in the order of the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (Economic Offences) Court providing security to Swapna, now housed at the Women’s Prison and Correctional Home, Attakulangara, Thiruvananthapuram.

The Customs Commissioner in the statement further said that the role of M Sivasanakar, former principal secretary to chief minister, in acting as a link between high profile politicians of Kerala and UAE Consulate officials and in coordinating the illegal financial dealing under the cover of various activities and projects of the government was also revealed by her.

The Customs also said that the agency is prepared to produce in a sealed cover before the court the copies of the statement of Swapna recorded under section 164 of the Criminal Procedure and under section 108 of the Customs Act.

Responding to the development, Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala has said that the Customs’ affidavit revealing the involvement of chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan in the dollar smuggling case is shocking.

Speaking at a Press conference in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday, Chennithala said that the chief minister has no right to continue in office as sedition charges were leveled against him in the affidavit submitted in the High Court. He asked why the investigative agency was dragging its feet even after it received a crucial statement against the chief minister and other ministers two months ago.

“This shows there was a clear understanding between the BJP and the CPI-M,” Chennithala claimed.

Former CM Oommen Chandy said that the allegation against chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan in the dollar smuggling case was serious and he sought further actions in the case, including registering an FIR.