Kerala Gold Scam – Burning Issues – Free PDF Download

What’s the gold scam?

• The Customs and Preventive Department on Sunday seized at least 30 kgs of gold worth Rs.15 crore
• From an air cargo consignment bound for the United Arab Emirates consulate in Thiruvananthapuram.
• The gold was concealed in household items like door lock, pipe, car tyre pump and a speaker, sources said.
• The raid was carried out after customs obtained permission from the Ministry of External Affairs since most consignments to diplomatic missions enjoy immunity under the Vienna Convention.

Consignment was addressed to whom?

• The Customs have taken one Sarith, a former Public Relations Officer of the United Arab Emirates consulate, into custody.

What UAE Embassy has to say on this?

• The Embassy of the UAE in India said in the statement that it utterly condemns the attempted misuse of diplomatic channels by an individual engaged in smuggling activity.
• “The Embassy firmly rejected such acts and unequivocally affirms that the mission and its diplomatic staff had no role in this matter,” it said.

Why the Scam is being linked to CM office?

• The customs department has accused Swapna Suresh as the master brain behind trying to smuggle about 30 kg gold.
• Sarith has confessed to colluding with Swapna Suresh on the crime.

Who is Swapna Suresh?

• She was a consultant to one of the offices under the state government’s Information Technology (IT) ministry.
• Swapna Suresh, worked as the marketing liaison officer of the Space Park under the Kerala State Information Technology Infrastructure Limited (KSITIL).
• The chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan is also the state’s IT minister.
• After the smuggling case grabbed headlines, the government has terminated the contract with Swapna Suresh.
• Swapna Suresh is said to be on the run after the seizure.

Why the principal Secretary forced to quit?

• The principal secretary to the CM, S Shivashankar is also the state’s IT secretary.
• The Opposition alleged that Shivashankar appointed Swapna flouting norms and his role needs to be probed in the smuggling case.
• Shivashankar applied for a year’s leave and was immediately granted the same after opposition levelled serious allegations against him in connection with the main accused, Swapna Suresh.
• It was alleged that Sivasankar was responsible for recruiting Swapna to a plum post in the IT department, despite a dubious background and a pending crime branch inquiry against her in a forgery case.

CM’s Response

• “It is absurd,” Vijayan said about his office being dragged to the case.
• He said he was not aware of the appointment made by the IT department,
• And claimed it a move by the opposition to damage his government’s clean and corruption-free image.
• The case has become sensational in Kerala,
• With the opposition trying to make an analogy to the ‘Solar Scam’ controversy that rocked the previous Congress chief minister Oommen Chandy.

Conclusion

• After gold prices skyrocketed there has been a big spike in smuggling also.
• At least, 15 kgs of the yellow metal were seized from chartered flights from the middle-east countries in last two weeks—
• Kozhikkode International Airport topped in seizures.

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