Kerala gold smuggling: NIA court extends judicial custody of 12 accused till October 8

The NIA court also rejected Swapna`s bail petition. Prior to this, she had cited her health conditions for getting bail, but the court denied the same.

Image courtesy: ANI

Kochi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) court here on Friday extended the judicial custody of 12 accused persons till October 8, including Swapna Suresh, in the Kerala gold smuggling case.

The court also rejected Swapna`s bail petition. Prior to this, she had cited her health conditions for getting bail, but the court denied the same.

The court also directed the prison authorities that, they should allow Swapna to meet her relatives in prison.The 12 accused were produced before the court through video conferencing.

NIA has registered 17 cases related to the presence of Islamic State in the southern states of Telangana, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu and arrested 122 accused persons, Minister of State for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy had said in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.

The Kerala gold smuggling case, which is being probed by the NIA, Enforcement Directorate, and the Customs, pertains to the smuggling of gold in the state through diplomatic channels.

The matter had come to light after 30 kg gold worth Rs 14.82 crores smuggled in a consignment camouflaged as diplomatic baggage was busted by the Customs in Thiruvananthapuram on July 5.