Up to Centre to decide probe agency in gold smuggling case: Pinarayi Vijayan

Kerala Chief Minister's Office on Tuesday decided to remove top IAS officer M Sivasankar from the post of Principal Secretary to the chief minister. The officer was removed after the Opposition alleged his involvement over suspicion in a high-profile gold smuggling case.

The move comes a day after the Opposition alleged that IAS officer Sivasankar tried to shield one of the suspects in a gold smuggling case. Swapna Suresh, a former employee with the UAE consulate is believed to be the main suspect in connection with the smuggling of 30 kg gold which was seized from the diplomatic baggage section at Thiruvananthapuram airport on Sunday.

On Sunday, the customs unit of Thiruvanathapuram airport confirmed the seizure of 30 kg of gold which was smuggled from UAE. The gold was hidden inside various equipment and devices in a package for the UAE consulate in Thiruvananthapuram. Usually luggage and parcels to the consulates have diplomatic immunity. Such consignments are easily released without much suspicion.