Kochi: The Enforcement Directorate has arrested the former secretary of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, M. Sivasankar, in the gold smuggling case.
The 58 year-old civil servant was taken into custody in the morning by the central agency minutes after the Kerala High Court denied his anticipatory bail.
Considering the gravity of the offences under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, the applicant may not be entitled to the extraordinary relief of pre-arrest bail, the court had observed.
The court also noted that Sivasankar was in constant contact with one of the prime accused, namely Swapna Suresh, and that he had even volunteered to help her by contacting his chartered accountant and asking him to assist her in managing her finances.
The case relates to the seizure of 30 kg of gold worth Rs. 14.82 crore at Thiruvananthapuram airport on July 5 by the Customs (Preventive) Commissionerate, Kochi, which was sought to be brought through the diplomatic luggage sent to UAE consulate at the state capital.
Sivasankar was suspended from service last July for alleged violations of conduct rules.