Palakkad: The secret statement recorded in court was not part of any political agenda, Swapna Suresh, one of the main accused in the diplomatic baggage gold smuggling scam, said on Wednesday. She added that her life was under threat and that her employer was facing difficulties while speaking to the media in Palakkad.
“I'm not concerned about who is, or was the Chief Minister of Kerala. I'm not concerned about his family either. I'm the only person who is suffering. Others are living in peace,” she said.
“I'm a working mother. Kindly allow me to live,” she added.
She further alleged that while in jail she was "tortured and mentally harassed" by the senior jail officers leading to her suffering from a heart attack, which was termed by them as a drama, and later she repeatedly suffered from fits.
Suresh said as a result of the mental torture she underwent, she is now suffering from several ailments.
“What I've disclosed now is not meant to defame anyone or remove anyone from the post of CM, nor was it a publicity stunt to create an image for myself.”
"....I was in jail for 16 months. My kids suffered. I lost my job. They were exploiting and manipulating me. Now I just want to live and raise my kids. Please allow me to do that. Other than that I have no agenda," she said.
Do not know Saritha personally: Swapna
Swapna also added that she did not know Saritha S Nair personally.
“Though we have served term together in the same jail, I have never spoken to her while in jail. She has contacted my mother several times after my release. But we have not encouraged it.”
Saritha is an accused in the solar panel scam that rocked UDF government.
'Let's not talk about PC George'
On being asked whether she spoke to P C George or gave anything to him in writing, Suresh said what she would like to highlight was that "no one should view her 164 statement as an opportunity and use it".
"That is my humble request... Do not use this as an opportunity for somebody else's income or somebody else's weapon. For God's sake please do not use it like that," she said.
Suresh said she met a lot of people after her earlier interviews and therefore, "let's not talk about P C George".
"Let's not give importance to unwanted people," she added.
Pinarayi involved in scam
In a statement that can have far-reaching impact in Kerala, Swapna Suresh on Tuesday said Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was involved in the scam.
Swapna Suresh told media that a baggage containing currency was sent to CM Vijayan when he was in Dubai in 2016. She said in her secret statement recorded before a Judicial First Class Magistrate Court she has said about 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. The confidential statement, known as 164 statement, is recorded under Section 164 of CrPC.
She said the currency was detected when the bag was scanned as part of the consulate's protocol. She did not specify what currency was in the bag.
She 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.
Swapna added on Wednesday that she believes the Chief Minister received the items in concern. She added that she decided to reveal these facts to the court as the revelations she made to the Enforcement Directorate has not seen the light of the day.
Swapna has also requested police protection from the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court as her life is under threat.
CM dismisses allegations
Following the revelations, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday said that she was being used as part of a larger political conspiracy.
Sivasankar said he did not care about Suresh's remarks while Nalini Netto refused to comment. Jaleel belittled the allegations in a sarcastic post on Facebook. The post suggested that he was least bothered about the allegations.
Well-planned conspiracy: E P Jayarajan
LDF convener E P Jayarajan told media that there was "well-planned conspiracy" behind the "baseless allegations" against the CM and the state government should investigate the matter and find out who all were behind it.
He alleged that Suresh was working in an organisation controlled by the RSS and therefore, she was under their control.
Jayarajan also said the CM is neither required to respond to such "dirty" allegations nor resign from his office.
He reiterated that there should be a probe to ascertain who were behind the allegations made against the CM.
When told about the LDF convener's demand for an investigation into who were behind the allegations, Swapna Suresh asked why no inquiry was carried out when terror charges were imposed on her and she was put behind bars for 16 months.
She alleged that no investigation was carried out into the terror allegations against her as those behind it were sure she would never come out of jail.
KPCC protests
Meanwhile, the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) said they will be holding protests this evening as part of their 'black day' campaign demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
KPCC general secretary T U Radhakrishnan said that Congress workers across the state would be holding black flags and chanting slogans demanding Vijayan's resignation in the wake of the allegations against him in connection with the gold smuggling case.
Senior Congress leader Oommen Chandy said the truth should come out and that it cannot be hidden away.
Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly, V D Satheesan, had on Tuesday said that a court-monitored investigation should be carried out in view of the latest revelation of Suresh.
Swapna Suresh had on Monday said there was a threat to her life and therefore, she was going to disclose all the facts related to the case before the court.
Talking to reporters after recording her statement in a court in Kochi, Suresh said she had more to say about the gold smuggling case and the people involved in it.
Suresh was released from jail in November last year, 16 months after her arrest in the sensational gold smuggling case.
Suresh was taken into custody by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) along with another accused Sandeep Nair from Bengaluru on July 11, 2020.
She was a former employee of the UAE consulate here.
The NIA, Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Customs conducted separate investigations 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 Sivasankar and another ex-employee of the UAE Consulate, Sarith P S, were arrested in connection with the case.
