Kerala gold smuggling case: Higher education minister KT Jaleel appears before NIA

 Minister KT Jaleel reached the National Investigation Agency office in Kochi on Thursday (September 17) morning for questioning  

Kochi: Higher education minister KT Jaleel reached the National Investigation Agency (NIA) office at Kochi for questioning on Thursday(September 17) morning. Jaleel was earlier questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) over his connection with UAE consulate and gold smuggling case accused Swapna Suresh.

According to reports, the minister reached the NIA office at 5:55 am in a private car.

The minister maintained that it was not questioning, and he will cooperate with the ongoing probe.

Trouble began for Jaleel after phone call records of Swapna Suresh, main accused in the gold smuggling case, were leaked to the media. The minister’s phone number figured prominently in the list. Soon after the list surfaced, the minister had called a press conference in Malappuram and said he called Swapna as a consular employee in connection with Ramadan kits offered by the UAE consulate.

This clarification invited more trouble for him as he is not supposed to accept any funds or freebies without the consent of the ministry of external affairs.

Meanwhile, the opposition has demanded the resignation of KT Jaleel. However, the CPM said that nobody can force him to resign only because he was interrogated as Jaleel is not an accused in any case.