Kochi: KT Ramees, one of the prime accused in the sensational gold smuggling case was granted bail by a court here on Wednesday. Ramees will however, not be allowed to leave the jail during the period due to the ongoing NIA investigation into the alleged terror link in the gold smuggling case..
Ramees was granted bail by the special court (Economic Offences) in the case registered by the Customs (Preventive) Commissionerate.
The Customs had alleged that smuggled gold was sold in Kerala and outside the state through a well established channel in which Ramees is a key member.
Granting bail, the court directed the accused to execute a bond of Rs 2,00,000 with two solvent sureties each for the like sum and the sureties shall produce their original title deeds for verification.
He shall appear before the Investigating officer on all Mondays between 10 and 11 am for a period of three months or till filing of final report whichever is earlier, the court said.
It also directed the accused to surrender his passport within a period of seven days or file an affidavit to the effect that he is not possessing a passport.
The petitioner shall cooperate with the investigation, the court said in its bail order.
Ramees, arrested by the Customs (Preventive) Commissionerate on July 11 in connection with the case, was described by the Central agencies as one of the "kingpins" of the gold smuggling case in which former employees of the UAE consulate in Thiruvananthapuram, Swapna Suresh and Sarith P S are key accused.
Ramees was later arrested by the NIA.
Central agencies, including the NIA, Customs and Enforcement Directorate, are conducting a separate probe into the seizure of gold worth nearly Rs 15 crore from a "diplomatic baggage" at the Thiruvananthapuram International airport on July 5.
Swapna Suresh, another accused in the case and Ramees had been admitted to the Thrissur Medical College Hospital on Sunday after they complained of health issues. They were both sent back to jail from the hospital after the Medical Board certified that they did not face any critical ailments.
Meanwhile, another accused in the gold smuggling case Muhammed Anwar was released to NIA custody till Friday.
The court granted permission for the same after the NIA requested custody of the accused to question him on the basis of digital evidence.
Though the agency requested the court's permission to question Swapna, her medical report was not submitted in court.
The decision on this regard will be made after the jail superintendent submits her medical report.
