(Harleen Kaur, Intern Journalist) Kochi, The National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is investigating terrorist contacts in the Kerala gold smuggling case, told a special court that the gang of Mafia don Dawood Ibrahim could be involved in the racket. The agency said that the profits from the smuggling of gold are used for intelligence related to the possibility of anti-national activities and terrorist acts. It said that it is extremely necessary to keep all the accused in judicial custody for 180 days to pursue the investigation in the case. The agency opposed the bail pleas of all the accused.
The NIA said that during the detention Rameez, the fifth accused in the case has revealed that he was about to start a diamond business in Tanzania and after that, he was trying to get a gold mining license in Tanzania. He also talked about bringing gold from Tanzania and selling it in the UAE. The agency has also referred to the remarks made by the UN Security Council Sanctions Committee on Dawood Ibrahim.
Swapna Suresh, the prime accused in the Kerala gold smuggling case, has got bail in the money laundering case. She will still be in jail, as she has also been arrested in other cases related to gold smuggling. The NIA has also used the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act against him. The court reserved the verdict on Swapna’s bail application last week. He has also got bail in the case related to the investigation being carried out by the Customs Department. The Customs did not file the final report within the stipulated time of 60 days due to which he got bail.