Gold smuggling case: Kerala HC upholds stay on judicial panel inquiry into ED probe
The ED had filed a writ petition challenging the notification of the Inquiry Commission, headed by former HC judge Justice VK Mohanan.
The ED had filed a writ petition challenging the notification of the Inquiry Commission, headed by former HC judge Justice VK Mohanan.
The ED had filed a writ petition challenging the notification of the Inquiry Commission, headed by former HC judge Justice VK Mohanan.
Kochi: The Kerala High Court has upheld the stay on the probe by the state government-appointed Inquiry Commission to investigate whether the Enforcement Directorate and other central agencies were falsely implicating political leaders, including Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, in the gold smuggling case.
The ED had filed a writ petition challenging the notification of the Inquiry Commission, headed by former HC judge Justice VK Mohanan.
The gold smuggling case involved the seizure of 30 kg of gold worth ₹14.82 crore at the Thiruvananthapuram airport on July 6, 2020. It was allegedly marked as 'Diplomatic Baggage' and sent to the UAE Consulate.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) and ED also registered cases against the principal accused, Swapna Suresh and Sandeep Nair, after investigations revealed offences under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA) and Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA).
While staying the 'parallel probe' by the Inquiry Commission, the single judge noted that such an investigation "would impede and derail the investigation and would ultimately go to the benefit of the accused, defeating the object of the legislation under which the accused are booked".
There were allegations that the ED forced the accused to sign statements implicating the chief minister.
(With LiveLaw inputs)