ED asks Swapna Suresh to appear on June 22 for questioning

Swapna had approached the court stating she is facing threat to her life. The court then asked her to furnish a confidential statement.

Kochi: The Enforcement Directorate has served a notice to gold smuggling case accused Swapna Suresh to appear for questioning over her recent statement given to the Ernakulam Sessions Court under CrPC section 164.

She is asked to visit the ED office here on June 22, Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the agency approached the court for a copy of the statement. The court had dismissed the plea of the Crime Branch for the copy of the statement. It said only the investigating agency can access the statement till the probe is over.

Swapna had approached the court stating she is facing threat to her life. The court then asked her to furnish a confidential statement.

The details in the first affidavit were earlier leaked to the media. She has levelled allegations against several CPM leaders associated with the previous government in the affidavit. Swapna had told the media that chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan smuggled contraband metal and dollars. It is believed that she has said the same in the 164 statement as well. The allegations had triggered widespread protest against the government across the state.

It may be noted that most of her allegations had found a place in the statement she gave during the initial investigation into the smuggling, which started in July 2020. The state Crime Branch, meanwhile, booked Swapna for conspiring against the chief minister.