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Political scams are not new to Kerala where only the Left Democratic Front (LDF) led by Communist Party of India (Marxist), and the United Democratic Front (UDF) led by Congress have a strong base. In the previous UDF tenure, a solar panel scam hit the state politics in which allegations were levelled against several top Congress leaders. Saritha Nair was named as the prime accused in this case. It was alleged that Saritha Nair was very influential in the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) when Oommen Chandy was the Chief Minister. The inquiry is still under progress. LDF used this scam as a ladder to power.
But now the LDF government is in the center of a new controversy. Again a woman who is considered very powerful in the CMO has become a headache for the ruling party.
Gold smuggling from the Middle East countries to Kerala is not a new thing. A huge number of Kerala residents are working in the Middle East and it has been alleged that gold smuggling is the biggest problem in Kerala.
Swapna scam unfolded in Kerala after Rs.15 crores worth 30 kilograms of gold seized at the state capital Thiruvanantapura airport by the customs department on July 4. It was informed initially that this gold was being transported to the UAE mission with a diplomatic immunity. However, now this seizure is causing a tremor in the state politics. This gold was found in a diplomatic cargo which was addressed to the main accused Swapna Suresh who was later arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Kochchi branch.
Fearing that this smuggling is a part of a bigger network which is posing danger to the national security, the Union Home Ministry handed over this incident to the NIA investigation. As the media started to publish the merkier contacts of main accused Swapna with ruling UDF leaders, now the state government is under attack. What led to the controversy is Swapna's close contacts with senior IAS officer M Shivashankar, then principal secretary at CMO which raised several questions. Now Shivashankar is shunted out of the CMO.
Swapna Suresh and co-accused in the scam Sandeep Nair were arrested in Bengaluru with over Rs.2 lakh cash on July 12 by NIA team from Kochchi. Swapna was arrested from a hotel in Jayanagar in the city while Nair was arrested from a house in Koramangala. Questions were raised about how they were able to reach Bengaluru from Kerala as there were restrictions on the interstate vehicle movement at that time.
As expected, opposition parties UDF and BJP are now baying for the blood of the Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan alleging that Swapna had close links with CMO officials. BJP which is trying to expand its presence in the state immediately ordered for NIA investigation into the scam on July 11 itself smelling it as a right opportunity to corner the LDF government. Now even the enforcement department joined the investigation by registering a case under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Dr. Shrinidhi Adiga
To read the further articles please get your copy of Eastern Panorama August issue @http://www.magzter.com/IN/Hill-Publications/Eastern-Panorama/News/ or mail to contact @easternpanorama.in
