Palakkad: PS Sarith, the first accused in the diplomatic gold smuggling case was abducted from her residence, Swapna Suresh alleged on Wednesday. Swapna is the second accused in the case.
A four-member-gang abducted Sarith from his Palakkad flat by posing as cops, she said.
"They did not show any identity card," Swapna said.
A probe team under the Palakkad DySP has begun a probe into the incident. They reached Sarith's residence and examined the CCTV visuals.
Swapna revealed that Sarith was abducted while speaking to the media in Palakkad on Wednesday.
She alleged that the kidnapping occurred minutes after her press conference this morning.
"Earlier you asked what the threat was. Now it is no longer threats, the attacks have started. HRDS India staff Sarith has been forcefully kidnapped from my home by 3-4 unknown people."
"They have started their attacks. I spoke little and they are already frightened. This is a sign of that. They are confessing their involvement through such dirty tactics," she claimed.
"Now you know the threats faced by me, my family and Sarith. "The people of Kerala need to realise that anyone can be killed or abducted in broad daylight here."
Asked about the reports that Sarith was picked up by Vigilance officials of the state government, she said his lawyer has already initiated legal steps, including filing of a habeas corpus petition, to ensure his release.
On Tuesday, Swapna Suresh told media that a baggage containing currency was sent to CM Vijayan when he was in Dubai in 2016. She said the currency was detected when the bag was scanned as part of the consulate's protocol.
Swapna also said biryani vessels containing heavy metals were taken to the Cliff House, the CM's official residence, from consulate general's house based on the instructions of Sivasankar.
She added that she has disclosed the involvement of the chief minister, his former principal secretary M Sivasankar, CM's wife Kamala, daughter Veena, his additional private secretary C M Raveendran, former bureaucrat Nalini Netto and former minister K T Jaleel in her secret statement recorded before a Judicial First Class Magistrate Court. The confidential statement, known as 164 statement, is recorded under Section 164 of CrPC.
Swapna Suresh, a former employee of the UAE Consulate here, was taken into custody by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) along with another accused Sandeep Nair from Bengaluru on July 11, 2020.
The NIA, Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Customs conducted separate probes into the racket that was busted with the seizure of gold worth Rs 15 crore from the diplomatic baggage of the UAE Consulate at Thiruvananthapuram airport on July 5, 2020.
Several people, including M Sivasankar, the former Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister and another ex-employee of the UAE Consulate here, Sarith P S, were arrested in connection with the case.