Thiruvananthapuram: Swapna Suresh, the prime accused in the Kerala gold smuggling case, on Thursday alleged that the Crime Branch asked her to end all association with High-range Rural Development Society (HRDS) and her lawyer Krishnaraj.

She further alleged that Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has "put me to starvation now."

"Kerala CM, who is supposed to protect public has put me to starvation now. He's harassing me because I'm trying to bring the truth out. He can't just do things for his daughter. He has to consider all of us as daughters," she said.

"The day before yesterday, Crime Branch interrogated me in the conspiracy case registered against me. Basically, it was harassment. The investigation team asked me to step down from HRDS INDIA and to drop my lawyer, Krishna Raj. This is a threat," she added.

This comes after Suresh was terminated from her job by the NGO. Palakkad-based HRDS, in a statement issued to the media, said even though Suresh has been terminated from her current post as Director of Women Empowerment and CSR, she will be retained as the Chairperson of its Women Empowerment Advisory Committee, which is a position without any salary.

HRDS said it has decided to annul the appointment of Suresh after considering the allegation of the CM in the state Assembly that the NGO was protecting the gold smuggling case accused. On 28 June, Vijayan, in a reply to an adjournment motion in the Assembly, had said that Suresh was supported by an organisation affiliated with RSS.

The NGO pointed out that the "co-accused in the case" and former Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, M Sivasankar was allowed to join service. "We hope that the government which crucifies the HRDS for employing an accused in the gold smuggling case, will dismiss Sivasankar, who is a co-accused in the case, from service," it said in a release.

Suresh was appointed as Director, Women Empowerment and CSR of HRDS on 18 February. The NGO alleged that the police, vigilance, crime branch and other law enforcement agencies were frequenting its offices and questioning its staff.

She was released from jail a few months ago after securing bail following her arrest by central agencies in July 2020 in connection with the case of smuggling gold through diplomatic channels.

The gold smuggling case relates to the seizure of 30 kg of gold on 5 July, 2020 from a diplomatic baggage at the air cargo of the Trivandrum International Airport by the Customs (Preventive) Commissionerate, Kochi. The consignment was found camouflaged in diplomatic baggage from the UAE that is exempted from inspection in accordance with the Vienna Convention.

(With inputs from ANI)

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