Kannur: A senior jail officer visited Sandeep Nair, an accused in the gold smuggling case, at the first-line COVID-19 treatment centre at Angamaly allegedly bypassing the duty schedule.
Ernakulam district jail superintendent K V Jagadeeshan visited Sandeep last Sunday. The Mattancherry jail superintendent was scheduled to be on duty on that day.
Jagadeeshan, who reached the jail at 9pm, left by 12 midnight after meeting Sandeep. Jagadeeshan told Manorama that he had gone to the centre as per the special instructions of the Jail DGP. However, he did not divulge the purpose of the visit.
"I can conduct an inspection at a centre that falls within my jurisdiction any time. I have done this in the past as well," Jagadeeshan said.
The Mattancherry superintendent had conveyed his inconvenience in making the visit. “Based on the jail DGP's instructions, I went to the centre as Sandeep was brought in,” he added.
Sandeep was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) from Bengaluru on Saturday. He was brought to the centre by Sunday evening after he was remanded by the NIA court.
Remand prisoners and those who have completed the parole are put up at the COVID first line centre at Karukutty in Angamaly till the test results are available.
The jail DGP had instructed that a cop in the officer-rank should visit the first line centre every month according to the duty schedule.
As per this, the Mattancherry superintendent was supposed to visit the centre on Sunday. However, Jagadeeshan spoke to this officer against making the visit, and turned up at the centre instead, according to sources.
Police to the rescue on road
Thiruvananthapuram: Confirming the links of Sandeep to police officials, a district leader of the police officers’ association had reportedly rushed to his aid after he was nabbed for drunk driving and speeding last month.
Sandeep was taken into custody around 10:30 pm on June 10 by the Manathala Police while they were conducting vehicle inspection along the Pathirappally-Mukkola Road.
The car was driven at a high speed that could endanger the life of a human being, as per the first information report.
After getting to know that Sandeep was in custody, a police officer turned up and said that Sandeep was his relative.
Sandeep was allowed to go on station bail. He was also allowed to take his car.
The Intelligence wing has also got information that Sandeep and this police officer frequently travelled to Kochi together.
The NIA had arrested Sandeep from Bengaluru on Saturday night along with another accused Swapna Suresh. Both were lodged in the COVID care centres on Monday to adhere to health protocols in light of the pandemic.
Sandeep is the accused number 4 in the case being probed by the NIA. First accused P S Sarith is already under custody, while the third accused Faizal Fareed is yet to be nabbed. Swapna is the accused number 2.
The Indian Customs stationed at the Trivandrum International Airport had seized gold, worth Rs 13.5 crore, from a diplomatic baggage addressed to the UAE Consulate on July 5. NIA has taken up the case considering the likely links of the smugglers to terror financiers.
