The Customs (Preventive), Kochi, started questioning C. Sajesh, former zonal secretary of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) in Chembilode at Kannur on Wednesday as part of its probe into the Karipur gold smuggling case.
Mr. Sajesh appeared before the investigating officials a day after the Customs arrested Arjun Ayanki, a former member of the DYFI and Kannur resident for his alleged role in the case.
The DYFI had ousted Mr. Sajesh after reports emerged that Mr. Ayanki had used a car registered in his name for receiving gold from carriers and transporting the contraband safely to those who had financed the illegal import.
He also chanced to be an appraiser who certified the purity of gold received as collateral at the Cooperative Bank in Koyyode in Kannur. The CPI(M) has suspended Mr. Sajeesh from its primary membership for one year.
The case had gathered momentum after the Customs arrested Mohammed Shafeeque Melathil, a Malappuram native, for smuggling 2.3 kg of gold worth ₹1.11 crore concealed in a coffee-making machine on arrival from Dubai on June 21.
The accused had told the Customs that Mr. Ayanki had connected him to persons involved in the smuggling of gold. Later, Arjun told him to change the shirt on reaching the airport and he would be waiting for him outside the arrival area. The accused admitted that he was offered ₹40,000 and an air ticket to Karipur for this smuggling act.
