Dubai: Faisal Fareed, third accused in the gold smuggling case being probed by India's National Investigation Agency, is likely to face legal action in the United Arab Emirates as well.
It is suspected that this Indian expat based in Dubai had sent 30kg gold to Thiruvananthapuram through a diplomatic bag.
The NIA court in Kochi has already issued an arrest warrant against Faisal.
Concealing gold in diplomatic baggage is a serious offence that can invite legal action on three counts. Endangering national security and creating fissures in diplomatic ties are offences that come under the jurisdiction of the Federal Supreme Court of the United Arab Emirates located in Abu Dhabi.
Moreover, as per the Customs rules of the Emirates, giving false information is punishable with an imprisonment of up to five years.
Faisal holds talks with advocates
Meanwhile, Faisal, who told media that he was ‘not the accused’ in the smuggling case on Sunday, has avoided the media for the last two days. However, he held talks with his advocates.
He owns a car workshop and also has partnership in a gym, ‘Go Gym’, at Al-Qusais in Dubai. Faisal also supplies equipment for gyms.
Though the gym was open on Tuesday, it has issued a notice that it will not function from Wednesday due to maintenance works.
The workshop, ‘Five C Motorsports’, is also shut. Faisal and the building owner are fighting a legal case over rent dues.
The case pertains to the seizure of 30 kg gold from a diplomatic baggage addressed to the UAE Consulate in Thiruvananthapuram on July 5. The Government of India has directed the NIA to probe the case.
Faisal is yet to be arrested though the other three main accused – P S Sarith, Swapna Suresh, and Sandeep Nair – are now in the NIA custody in Kochi, Kerala. Sarith, Swapna and Sandeep, the three key members of the racket, are the accused no: 1, 2 and 4 respectively in the case.
Faisal’s name cropped up in the case in connection with the Sharjah-based Al-Sattar Spices that was mentioned in the remand report of the first-accused, Sarith. Fareed, however, said that he had no links with this company.
As reported earlier, the consignor address and phone number mentioned on the gold consignment caught at the Trivandrum International Airport in Kerala are those of his Dubai residence.
The consignment mentions the sender’s address as villa no 5 in Al Rashidiya, a Dubai locality. Faisal lives with his family in Al Rashidiya.
Till Tuesday evening, the Indian Consulate in Dubai has not received any communication from the NIA on tracking down Faisal.
