Union Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan has accused the government led by CPI-M of corruption and alleged that it was linked to gold and dollar smuggling cases.
He said the CPI-M and Kerala government were trying to gain sympathy by saying that they are unnecessarily harassed by the Central Government and customs department.
"The statement given by Customs in High court is in the public domain. Customs has not given a suo moto statement. The statement was a sequel or counter to the writ filed by the jail Director General of Police (DGP) regarding the statement made by Swapna Suresh requesting protection," Muraleedharan told .
"Who authorised the jail DGP to file such a writ. When such a writ is filed is it not natural that Customs will have to submit the facts before the court," he added.
The Customs has informed Kerala High Court that Swapna Suresh, a key accused in the gold smuggling case, had stated about the smuggling of foreign currency "at the instance of" Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan.
The minister also targeted the ruling alliance in the state over Customs deciding to interrogate former CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan's wife Vinodini Balakrishnan for allegedly receiving iPhone purchased by Unitac owner Santhosh Eapen.
"The latest issue is about the iPhones which were given as a bribe. It is reported that one such iPhone was being used by the former secretary of CPI(M)'s wife. How and why did it reach her?" Muraleedharan asked.
"It points out the fact that CPI(M) was very closely involved with the smuggling of gold, dollar and also in corruption in the Life Project. They cannot wash off their hands, play victimhood saying the Central government is harassing them," he added.
The minister said an order was issued stating that the presence of some customs officer should be done away with when Swapna is meeting her visitors.
"It is a routine order in which the presence of customs officers is mandatory when a COFEPOSA (The Conservation Of Foreign Exchange And Prevention Of Smuggling Act) detenu has a visitor. Who is feeling threatened?" he asked.
( With inputs from ANI )
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