Customs affidavit in HC has raised political heat in Kerala

The Congress has termed as "shocking" Kerala gold smuggling accused Swapna Suresh's revelations against state Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Assembly Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan that foreign currency was smuggled at their instance.The ruling CPI(M), however, hit out at the BJP-led central government questioning its intentions in the backdrop of the elections.The Customs, probing the case, claimed in the Kerala High Court on Friday that Suresh, prime accused in the gold smuggling case, has made 'shocking revelations' against Vijayan, Sreeramakrishnan and some ministers with regard to dollar 'smuggling' involving UAE consulate officials.
In an affidavit filed in the court weeks before the assembly elections in the state, the Customs said Suresh made the 'revelations' in statements given to the agency under section 108 and 164 of the CrPC.Attacking the Customs (Preventive) Commissionerate, which submitted an affidavit in the Kerala high court containing a statement of Suresh revealing the Chief Minister's role in dollar smuggling, the ruling CPI(M) alleged that the probe agencies have stooped so low that they have become an election tool in the hands of the BJP..The party-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) said it would launch a protest against the "political games" played against the chief minister, ministers and the Left government using the central probe agencies. Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly, Ramesh Chennithala said, "Even with this shocking evidence in hand, the probe agencies have freezed the investigation. Who gave instructions to freeze the investigation? The investigation was freezed when it was sure that the probe would reach the chief minister. This seems like part of a ploy by the chief minister and the BJP."