Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 5 The gold smuggling case which was the main plank of the Congress-led opposition in the 2020 local body polls and the 2021 April 6 Assembly elections though failed as the LDF led by Pinarayi Vijayan returned to power with a huge mandate, is back to haunt the ruling Left with prime accused in the case Swapna Suresh claiming that the then principal secretary to Vijayan. M. Sivasankar was aware of all the developments.
The 2020 local body polls and the 2021 April 6 Assembly polls, the single biggest campaign point of the Congress-led Opposition was Kerala gold smuggling case, thanks to Covid also, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan came out clean by winning both the polls and until Friday, the ruling Left often used to ask, what happened to the the allegations levelled against him, the people have dumped everything and gave him the thumps up. Now it remains to be seen after the explosive revelations of prime accused in the case Swapna Suresh, where she says, the then principal secretary to Vijayan- M. Sivasankar knew everything.
She broke her silence after an autobiography of Sivasankar, written in Malayalam, said he was cheated by Swapna by gifting him an iPhone that was purchased using bribe money. He also said that he had no role in getting her a five figure monthly salary in the IT department of the Kerala government.
After remaining away from the media glare following her release from jail on bail, Swapna hit back at the once blue eyed boy of Vijayan- Sivasankar, revealing he was behind everything which includes her escape from Kerala by road to Bangalore, when the entire state was under heavy lockdown in July 2020 on account of Covid restrictions where inter district travel was banned.
In her interview to a TV channel, Friday night, she made no bones about her closeness with Sivasankar and said that it was with his help that she, along with her husband and children and their friend Sandip Nair, managed to sneak out of Kerala.
On the two audio clips of hers, one which came out on the day she and her family was on the run to Bangalore and another while in custody, she said, it was all stage managed and directed by him and others.
In both these clips, she was speaking in a manner giving a clean chit to Vijayan.
"I was made to say that," said Swapna and added that only master brains can work like this.
Incidentally, the Congress led Opposition and the BJP all throughout the media trial then, had alleged that Vijayan cannot wash his hands, even as Sivasankar was first suspended and later arrested and jailed from October 29, 2020 till February 1, 2021, when he got bail.
The CPI-M and the entire Left rank and file had vehemently attacked the detractors of Vijayan stating that if Sivasankar has done a wrong then he is only responsible and Vijayan cannot be answerable.
The smuggling case came to light on July 5, 2020, when the Customs arrested Sarith, a former employee of the UAE Consulate here, for allegedly smuggling gold in a diplomatic baggage destined for the Consulate.
Swapna and her associate Sandip Nair were arrested in the case by the NIA from Bengaluru a few days later.
Swapna crisply said all what she knew was known to Sivasankar also and he should not have stooped so low to accuse her.
One major revelation made by her was the arrival of the NIA in the case was done by none other than Sivasankar and was meant that Swapna Suresh should not open her mouth for six months and keep her behind bars.
"Had I mentioned the name of Sivasankar when I was arrested, he would have been arrested then itself. Initially I did not say, but later when the probe agencies found out from his WhatsApp chat the discussions that we had, then I had to say," said Swapna.
She also said that now the things are all before the court and very soon everything will come out.
Now all eyes are on the budget session in the assembly which will be convened later this month and with the Congress and the BJP after being snubbed by Vijayan and Left leaders that people have rejected all their allegations levelled in the gold smuggling case and now with massive revelations now, how smooth will be the sailing for Vijayan, as Version 2 of Swapna Suresh has started to roll.
She concluded by saying that she would not have said all these if Sivasankar had not mentioned baseless things about her in the book.
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