Swapna Suresh alleges Sivasankar's hand in controversy over new job

Kochi: Gold-smuggling accused Swapna Suresh has alleged that her former friend and suspected partner-in-crime M Sivasankar was behind the latest controversy that has surrounded her new job at the NGO Highrange Rural Development Society (HRDS).

Stating that the job was necessary for her to raise her two children and return to a normal life, Swapna requested the public and media to leave her alone and allow her to return to normalcy. The alternative for the entire family was suicide, she claimed. She also alleged that former principal secretary and IAS officer Sivasankar was the one behind the series of controversies plaguing her new post.

HRDS had appointed Suresh as the director of the corporate social responsibility (CSR) to generate resources for the charity outfit working among tribals. Later, Suresh also confirmed this and said she will be relocating to Palakkad to take up the new assignment.

However, the state SC/ST commission on Sunday filed a case against the NGO alleging that it was misusing funds meant for the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe people. This followed a battle between CPI(M) and BJP, both of whom accused the other of supporting the NGO.

"We have information that the NGO is getting more than ₹300 crore under several schemes of the central government and other sources. It builds houses which are not habitable and we want to check details of its fund utilisation," said SC/ST commission chairman S Ajayakumar.

He said he has also written to the National Commission for Schedule Tribes regarding the NGO.

Earlier, HRDS chairman S Krishnakumar, a former union minister, said that Swapna Suresh's appointment was "illegal and arbitrary". But the HRDS later clarified that Krishnakumar was not associated with the NGO anymore. It said the organisation was victimised for giving a job to Swapna Suresh.

Project director Biju Krishnan claimed the NGO was being persecuted for giving a job to Swapna Suresh and that until the verdict on her case was out, she should be given the opportunity to live with dignity.

"Our NGO was founded in 1995 and we have been carrying out many welfare activities among the marginalised. We have built 300 houses in Attapadi, a tribal settlement. We are ready to face any probe," he said.

Swapna Suresh had released a series of allegations against Sivasankar, claiming he was a major part of the gold-smuggling operation, the exposing of which led to Swapna Suresh's arrest in 2020. Not only was Sivasankar aware of her activities but he exploited her, she claimed. The allegations were made in response to Suvasankar's autobiography where he claimed he was filed by Suresh into being complicit in her smuggling activities.