Kochi: The dollar smuggling case linked to the UAE Consulate in Thiruvananthapuram and a few prominent members of the Kerala government can make further headway if three Arabs in their native places are made available for questioning. Meanwhile, in Kerala, the Customs is set to question Kerala Assembly Speaker P. Sreeramakrishnan and the wife of CPM's former state chief Kodiyeri Balakrishnan.
The Customs has informed the Union Finance Ministry that it was necessary to question former Consul General Jamal Al Zaabi, its former Admin Attache Rashid Khamis Ali Musaiqri and former finance section head Khalid Ali Shoukri.
The stance of these formal consular staff would be crucial in the ongoing Customs probe into the dollar smuggling case. However, it would not be easy to bring them back to India.
Khalid Ali Shoukri, an Egyptian citizen, was arraigned as accused in the case, pertaining to the smuggling of $1.90 lakh, and steps have been initiated to bring him back to India.
The Customs needs more clarity on the amount of dollars smuggled out, the number of times it was taken out illegally, the dates of travel, the recipients and their location.
At the same time, the Customs is hopeful that the digital evidence and statements of witnesses would cast light on the operations. The mobile phone and pen drive which were seized from Jamal Al Zaabi's bag last month are being examined.
According to a copy of an affidavit submitted by the Customs to the Kerala High Court, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had direct contact with the former UAE Consul General and had financial dealings with him.
Earlier, Santosh Eapen, the MD of Unitac Builders, was arrested by the Customs in February in connection with the case. He was later released on bail. Customs had linked the case to irregularities in government contracts for the LIFE Mission housing project.
Notice to Sreeramakrishnan, Vinodini
Kerala Assembly Speaker P. Sreeramakrishnan has been summoned to appear for questioning by Customs on March 12 in connection with the dollar smuggling case. The notice was issued after several attempts to get his statements in connection with the smuggling, including his travel abroad and other details, did not bear fruit, officials said.
The Customs has also served notice to the wife of Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, former secretary of the ruling CPM in Kerala, to appear at its Kochi office.
Vinodini Balakrishnan has been summoned to appear at the Kochi office of the Customs on March 10. She will have to explain the possession of an iPhone gifted by Santosh Eapen.
As reported earlier Santosh Eapen had gifted the iPhones to key aides of Pinarayi Vijayan on the suggestion of Swapna Suresh, a key accused in the related gold smuggling case.
Another recipient has been identified as M. Sivasankar, the former principle secretary of the CM, who was also arrested over the smuggling cases.
One more to be questioned
The Customs has issued a notice to a woman, a native of Karamana in Thiruvananthapuram, asking her to appear for questioning in the dollar smuggling case at 11 am on March 8. The notice was issued reportedly based on the phone call records. She was also asked to produce the SIM card, passport and bank account details.
