Kochi: Swapna Suresh, the key accused in the case of gold smuggling through the diplomatic baggage channel, comes up with strong accusations against the Chief Minister and the Crime Branch investigation team, yet again.
The major allegation that Swapna raises now is that the Chief Minister has ensured that she loses her livelihood. She alleged that the State Crime Branch officers have been threatening and torturing her in the name of interrogation in the Conspiracy case.
“If I am alive, even if I lose everything or I am forced to live without a roof over my head in a bus station or on the street, I will stick to whatever I have said. The people of Kerala will understand what the truth is. Is the Chief Minister satisfied now that I have lost my livelihood?” she asked on Thursday.
“The HRDS had tried hard to retain and protect me. How can they continue to do so when the Government system intervenes in such a way that the livelihood of 200 - 300 other employees, and their families are getting affected? The CM had alleged in the Assembly that the HRDS has been making me do things by paying me a salary and giving me a vehicle. The officers with the Crime Branch, Intelligence, Revenue, Special Branch and all have been visiting all branches of the HRDS offices, and mentally torturing the staff there. They still retained me as it is an NGO. I am grateful for that.
The Chief Minister of the State, who must be protecting the people, has left a woman and her children deprived of livelihood; in fact, pushed us into a state of privation, and continues to torture me, all because I tried to bring out the truth. My organisation has clarified that they are expelling me because they have no other way. I have decided to do social service in another position. The CM has a responsibility to all the girl children in Kerala. He does things only for his own daughter. It is not just him who has a daughter,” Swapna said.
“He forced the Crime Branch to register a case and interrogate me. It can't be called interrogation. It was torture. Let them find out if there was a conspiracy. I will cooperate with the investigation. But they must probe and prove that there was a conspiracy. What they need in the name of interrogation is something else. Even if they book me in that name, I will keep saying things.
The first demand that was put forth during the questioning was that I should leave HRDS. This is when the matter is unrelated to the conspiracy case. Another demand was to withdraw my vakkalath to the lawyer I have engaged. They asked me for documentary evidence about CM’s daughter Veena Vijayan’s business deals and other financial dealings. They also questioned me on what all was stated under Section 164 before the Magistrate. The Crime Branch officers showed my advocate’s Facebook post and said he has posted against communism. I don’t know what the connection is between this and the conspiracy case. When I entrust my vakkalath with Advocate Krishnaraj, what his family is, what all they do, what his beliefs are etc does not affect me as a client. His faith or hobbies does not matter.
As I am not a person born and brought up in Kerala, I do not even know the practices here. But, I reiterate all that I have said without contradicting myself. My words cannot be somebody else’s. HRDS India or the advocate whom I have engaged recently cannot say what all happened between 2016 and 2020.
I never said Veena Vijayan cannot run a business. The Police have charged a conspiracy case against me for my confidential statement under section 164. My confession statement is related to my case. Does interrogating me mean asking for details about Veena Vijayan’s business deals? It is torturing,” she alleged.
“First, they sent me out from my apartment and booked me under many charges. I have been running between many departments. The Crime Branch should stop torturing me. I don’t need their advice on anything. They have threatened of implicating me in 770 riot cases registered. Let them charge any number of cases. Even if they torture me by sending the police to the place I stay, even if I am forced to live on the streets or the bus stations with no job, I will fight till my end and stand by the allegations. I won’t be deterred by all these.” Swapna said. She said the CM and all those who are involved can do whatever they can.
