Customs officials consider Swapna Prabha Suresh as a “pivotal member of a gang engaged in the smuggling of large quantities of gold to India by defrauding government agencies and the Customs Department using the cover of diplomatic protection”.
The agency made its position known to the Kerala High Court while objecting the anticipatory bail plea of Swapna.
It said the custodial interrogation of Swapna was necessary as the “involvement of higher government officials cannot be ruled at out at this stage”.
Swapna has also “conspired and actively participated to facilitate the act of smuggling” and she has to be interrogated in custody to unearth the facts of the case, the agency argued.
Swapna was involved in a crime registered by the Valiathura police station, it said. The agency also submitted that Swapna had switched off her mobile phone and was absconding. She was deliberately avoiding summons to thwart investigation.
The High Court posted the anticipatory bail plea of the accused to July 14.
