Gold smuggling case: NIA searches Coimbatore goldsmith’s premises
![Gold Smuggling Case Nia Searches Coimbatore Goldsmiths Premises](https://i0.wp.com/twistarticle.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/gold-smuggling-case-nia-searches-coimbatore-goldsmiths-premises.jpg?fit=400%2C251&ssl=1)
Chennai, Sep 9 (IANS) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) officials on Wednesday conducted searches at the residence and business premises of a goldsmith in Coimbatore as part of its ongoing probe into the Kerala gold smuggling case, police said.
A four-member NIA team reached the residence of Nandakumar in Coimbatore this morning to carry out the searches. Further details are awaited.
The gold smuggling case surfaced when PS Sarith, a former employee of the UAE Consulate in Thiruvananthapuram, was arrested by the Customs on July 5 when he was allegedly facilitating the smuggling of 30 kg gold in diplomatic baggage from Dubai.
It turned murkier when the name of Swapna Suresh, a former employee of the Consulate but since employed with the Kerala IT Department, surfaced. Her links to now-suspended IAS officer M Sivasankar, who was then Principal Secretary to the Chief as well as IT Secretary, also came out.
–IANS
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