UDF demands CBI probe in gold smuggling case; Kerala CM rejects it

Thiruvananthapuram: Pinarayi Vijayan, the Kerala Chief Minister rejected the opposition Congress-led UDF's demand on Thursday for a CBI probe supervised by the High Court into the controversial gold smuggling case. The main accused in this case has levelled serious allegations against him, his family members and some top officials.

Vijayan responding to Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan's submission in the Assembly said that any request as to which agency should investigate the smuggling case could not be made as the case was entirely a matter for the Center and did not come under the purview of the state government.

"The state government can not say which agency should probe the gold smuggling case as it is not a state subject. There is no need for the state government to take up that responsibility," he said.

The case is currently being investigated by several agencies, including the Enforcement Directorate, NIA and Customs, and if any of them feel any limitations in the current investigation, it is up to them to take the decision to hand over the case to others.

He also alleged that the central government had misused the CBI in various cases across the country.

UDF members, enraged at the rejection of their demand, raised slogans against the Chief Minister and the Left government, saying they were afraid of a CBI probe.

With inputs from PTI