Gold smuggling case: Kerala HC to hear bail petition of Swapna Suresh on July 16
Kerala HC posted the bail petition of Swapna Suresh, prime accused in the Kerala gold smuggling case to July 16. The court asks NIA to file a counter affidavit before July 16.
FollowKerala High Court posted the bail petition of Swapna Suresh, prime accused in the Kerala gold smuggling case, to July 16. The court has asked the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to file a counter affidavit before July 16.
Swapna Suresh, on Monday had moved the Kerala High Court seeking bail in the case registered by the NIA.
In her bail plea, Swapna has relied on a high court ruling, on bail petitions filed by the accused in another gold smuggling case, that gold smuggling is not a UAPA offence and is to be dealt under Customs Act.
In her bail application, Suresh said the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act case against her will not stand the test of law. She also said the trial in the case was prolonging endlessly.
The bar under UAPA in granting bail was wrongly interpreted by the lower court in a manner prejudicial to her, Swapna said in the plea.
While the said provision in UAPA gives discretion to the court in granting bail, it should not have been interpreted as prohibition in granting bail, the petition said.
The bail applications of seven accused in the case, including Suresh, K T Ramees, Sandeep Nair and P S Sarith, were dismissed by the NIA Special court on March 22.
Various central investigating agencies are probing the gold smuggling case after nearly 15 kg of gold was seized at Thiruvananthapuram airport on July 5 last year from a diplomatic baggage addressed to the UAE consulate there.
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