Chaini Parwani –
Published On: November 2, 2021 at 17:30 IST
The Kerala High Court, on Tuesday, granted Bail to Swapna Suresh, the supreme Accused in the high-profile gold Smuggling Case.
The Bail has been granted to her on a Bail Bond of Rs 25 lakh, along with two Solvent Sureties.
A Division Bench comprising Justices K. Vinod Chandran and C. Jayachandran pronounced the Judgment after hearing the claims of all parties engaged before reserving its Judgment.
The Bail issued was for the case against Swapna Suresh registered by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) under the stringent Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).
Advocate Sooraj T Elenjickal representing Swapna Suresh stated that “The offence alleged against them was gold smuggling while UAPA predominantly dealt with the offence of counterfeiting high-quality currency. The prosecution case even if proved, only amounts to an offence of smuggling of gold, which will come under the Customs Act and not UAPA. It is only a Customs offence, at the worst. And for the Customs offence, the petitioners have already been granted Bail.”
Furthermore, it was highlighted by Advocate Elenjickal that there is no Legal Evidence of an expert witness that the claimed activity will lead to the demolition of economic stability under Section 15 of Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and that the final report filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) at the Special Court does not include any verification whatsoever that such proceeds have been employed to support Terrorism.
The High Court further also granted Bail to other accused – Mohammed Shafi P, Jalal A.M., Rabins Hammed, Ramees K.T., Sharafudeen K and Mohammed Ali.
The Smuggling Scam was highlighted on July 5, 2020, when 30 kg of gold worth Rs 14.82 crores was seized by Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs at Thiruvananthapuram Airport.
The Smuggled Gold was seized from the diplomatic baggage, allegedly committed by a group involving Former Consulate Employee, P Sarith Kumar, and Political Lobbyist, Swapna Suresh, and sustained by powerful Bureaucrats.
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