Gold smuggling: ED to probe call details of Ramees to find possible links with prominent persons

KOCHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has started checking the phone details of those who are believed to be in touch with KT Ramees, the mastermind of the diplomatic channel gold smuggling.

ED arrested Ramees on April 7. ED and Customs had found out that Swapna Suresh and PR Sarith were informed by Ramees about the idea of smuggling gold to Kerala under the guise of the UAE Consulate in Thiruvananthapuram. He also conspired to smuggle gold from Dubai. As per indications, many people invested money as hawala and black money for gold smuggling through him.

There is suspicion that Ramees was in contact with some prominent people who worked in the chief minister's office during the period of gold smuggling. The investigators are probing whether two prominent people received foreign phone calls during the time Ramees was in Dubai.

Ramees, who is on remand, will be taken into custody this week and ED will interrogate him in detail. The investigation is being done cautiously as it could lead to political controversy if it is found to be linked to someone in the Chief Minister's office.