Kerala Assembly Speaker and senior CPI-M leader P. Sreeramakrishnan was questioned by the Customs department at his official residence on Friday in the dollar smuggling case.
This was followed by a search in his relative’s flat in Chacka yesterday. The search was conducted in the B4 flat based on the statement of Swapna Suresh. As per the testimony given by Swapna Suresh, the dollars to be transferred were handed over in this flat.
Sreeramakrishnan was served a notice to appear before the Customs at its Kochi office on April 8 (Thursday), but he did not go there citing health reasons.
Following this, top Customs officials on Friday reached his official residence here, and questioned him for around five hours. He was interrogated by a team lead by customs superintendent Saleel.
During the interrogation, the speaker replied that all the allegations were baseless. He informed the customs that he had not handed over a bag containing the money to Sandeep. He also stated that he knew Swapna Suresh as a consulate officer and had friendship with her. However, no financial transaction had taken place. The speaker also informed that the bag with the seal of the assembly had been given as a gift to many.
The speaker was taking rest due to fever. Though sources claimed that the speaker will be questioned again, the Customs will have to wait for a few days as the speaker tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday evening.
Sreeramakrishnan was earlier asked to appear before the Customs on March 12. He did not turn up then as well. The Speaker’s name in the matter cropped up last December following the statement of gold smuggling case prime accused in a court that ‘big sharks’ had a role in helping accused like Swapna Suresh.
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