Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] State secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan has accused the United Democratic Front (UDF) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of trying to rake up a controversy to save the real accused when the National Investigation Agency (NIA)has initiated a probe into the gold smuggling case.
Mr. Balakrishnan said in a statement here on Saturday that the NIA inquiry had underlined the State government stance accepting a probe by any agency. The perpetrators, sponsors and all those involved in gold smuggling should be brought before law. Unlike in other gold smuggling cases, the NIA probe should not end up without any result. It should extend to other similar cases, he said.
When the case surfaced, many people had claimed to profess evidence. They should pass over the evidence to the investigating officers as per the provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. If they refused to hand over such evidence, it would be taken that they were raising false claims, he said.
A clearing agent who intervened for clearing the diplomatic baggage was a Sangh Parivar activist. Union Minister of State for External Affairs V. Muraleedharan subsequently stated that the gold was not smuggled in diplomatic baggage. Though the intervention of a clearing agent was not imperative in clearing a diplomatic bag, it happened. In this context, Mr. Muraleedharan should think whether he should continue in office, Mr. Balakrishnan said.
He accused the Opposition of trying to derail the containment activities of the State government by launching agitations in violation of the COVID-19 protocol.
