Chennai: The prime accused in the gold smuggling case in Kerala, Sandeep Nair, who was released from the prison on Saturday alleged that the Enforcement Directorate forced him to name diplomats including Kerala Chief Minister Pinaryi Vinjayan in the case. Following the statement, the CPI (M) alleged that their stand in the case that there was a "conspiracy" to target the Left party and government is true.
The prime accused Sandeep Nair, who was arrested in July 2020, was released from Poojapura Central jail on Saturday evening after his detention ended under Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act (COFEPOSA), said a report on PTI.
After the release, Nair speaking to reporters said, the ED tried to bring politics into the issue and forced him to name people including Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, former Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan, former Minister KT Jaleel and Bineesh Kodiyeri, son of former CPI (M) party secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan.
Following this, in a separate press conference, CPI (M) leader Balakrishnan said that the revelation of Nair is serious and they prove the stand of CPI (M) that there is a "conspiracy" behind the alleged targeting of Left party and government. He also said that the court should look into the matter.
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Even in March this year, Nair told Ernakulam sessions court that he was forced by the ED to mention the names of CM and Ministers for getting bail in the case.
The gold smuggling case became a huge controversy in Kerala and was used by Congress and BJp to gain political mileage in the state before the Kerala Assembly elections in April 2021.