Swapna Suresh, an accused in the 2020 gold smuggling case that rattled Kerala, on Monday heaped serious allegations against Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. She alleged that the CM not only violated protocol but also his oath of office when he broke all rules during the visit of Sharjah's ruler to the state in 2017.
As per an IANS report, Swapna while speaking to the media claimed that neither the Union Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) nor the UAE Consulate knew about the change in the itinerary of the visiting dignitary from Kozhikode to the state capital.
"The original plan to hand over the honorary doctorate D.Litt of the Calicut University to the Sharjah ruler was fixed at Kozhikode. But later without the knowledge of MEA, it was moved to Thiruvananthapuram. Then the travel plan was re-routed by me from the hotel where they were staying from the Raj Bhavan. This is known to Manoj Abraham (one of Kerala's top police officials)," she said, adding that this act was a serious misuse of Vijayan's office, his powers, and the system for his personal needs.
She alleged that this change in itinerary was done so that Vijayan and his wife could speak to the dignitary so as to help their daughter Veena Vijayan to start an IT business hub at Sharjah.
"Prior to that meeting, I reached his official residence and took part in a meeting that included Vijayan, his wife, high-ranking official Nalini Netto, and his principal secretary M. Sivasankar. They wanted to find out how much gold should be presented so as to see that his daughter's proposed business flourish.
"Even more serious is I am trying to get the documents of a very grave mistake which Vijayan, his office, and Sivasankar committed which is against national security. Once I get the evidence, it will be revealed," added Swapna.
"These are not allegations, but facts, for which I have pieces of evidence and will be given out."
The gold smuggling case surfaced in July 2020 and after a week, Swapna was arrested from Bengaluru.
When the news of her links with Vijayan first surfaced, he said he did not know her. But later when visuals appeared, he changed his stance, saying she was an employee of the UAE Consulate here and have seen her with the Consulate officials.
However it was following her release from jail after over a year that Swapna revealed that at the appropriate time she would reveal how much Vijayan actually knows her.