The Kerala High Court on Wednesday dismissed a petition seeking a CBI probe into the gold smuggling case, Sprinklr deal, BevQ app contract, and e-mobility consultancy projects in the state. A division bench comprising Chief Justice S Manikumar and Justice Shaji P Chaly, while dismissing the petition filed by Cherthala resident Michael Varghese through advocate Mathews J Nedumpara, said that an NIA investigation is already underway in the gold smuggling case.
There is no need to intervene in that probe, the bench observed. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, former Principal Secretary to CMO M Sivasankar, and gold smuggling case accused Swapna Suresh were named as respondents in the plea.
On Sprinklr deal, the petition had alleged that some of the respondents were emboldened to carry on abuse of power to make quick money as no criminal case was registered in the matter. “Other scams such as the contract for BevQ app and e-mobility consultancy followed and now the smuggling of 30 kg of gold from UAE to Kerala using diplomatic channel has surfaced,” the petition said while arguing that an effective investigation is required.
Unless an investigation by CBI or even by the NIA, in tandem with the customs and the state police, is conducted, the mafia which is behind the illegal activities will go scot-free and similar offences will be repeated, the plea had said.
