The custody of M. Sivasankar, the former principal secretary to Kerala Chief Minister, was extended till November 11.
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Kauser Edappagath, the Principal District and Sessions judge, directed the Enforcement Directorate, which arrested him in the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) case, to produce him before the court by 11 am on November 11.
As the counsel for the agency argued that it required more time to investigate the role of Mr. Sivasankar in the K fone project, the project of the State government to provide internet connection at subsidised rates for all the families in the State, the court asked the agency to explain the connection of the case with the one booked under PMLA case.
The Court pointed out that the case under the Act would stand only when it is connected to the predicate offence of gold smuggling case.
T. A. Unnikrishnan, the counsel for the agency, submitted that investigations revealed that the two cases were linked and there were material evidences to link Mr. Sivasankaran to both the cases.
The agency also submitted that he had close links with the accused in the gold smuggling and the dollar smuggling case.
The court will also consider the bail application of Mr. Sivasankaran on November 11.
