A source in the National Investigation Agency (NIA) probing the gold smuggling scam in Kerala told The Pioneer that investigation is moving in the right direction and speed and more powerful people would be taken into custody soon. “It is a slow process but that is how probes into cases like this take place. Whatever information we have collected is capable to take us to the doorsteps of the powerful and mighty,” said the official.

The NIA on Tuesday took into custody two more persons from Malappuram district who are involved in distributing the smuggled gold to the end users and diverting the money to terrorist organizations.  Shafeeq and Sharagfuddeen were arrested based on the details furnished by T K Rameez who has been arrested earlier by the NIA.

Meanwhile, the agency handed over the case diary and other documents related to the arrest of Swapna Suresh and Sandeep Nair, the kingpins of the smuggling operation, to the special court hearing their bail application. “The court has asked us to ensure that there are sufficient proof  so that we could slap the UAPA charge against the accused. We handed over the materials for the consideration of the court and there are sufficient grounds under which we could bring them under the UAPA (Unlawful Activities Prevention Act),” said Jaishankar V Nair, lawyer representing the agency in this case.

Interestingly, the Kerala Police does not figure anywhere in this investigation. The general feeling is that the State’s police force is under orders from its top bosses not to help the NIA but even to derail the probe. The allegation that Swapna Suresh and Sarith could escape from Kerala to Bangalore (from where the NIA arrested them) only because of the tacit support of the Kerala Police.