KOCHI: The NIA has started grilling M Sivasankar, former principal secretary to the chief minister, in the gold smuggling case. A special team of the NIA is questioning him and the interrogation stared at 10 am. They will mainly examine the contradictions in his statements. The interrogation is based on clear evidence. NIA’s director general Yogesh Chander Modi will monitor the interrogation at the NIA headquarters in Delhi via video conference.

Sivasankar left from his house in Poojappura Monday morning at 4.30 am to appear for the interrogation in Kochi. He reached the NIA office at 9.15 am.

The questioning will be video graphed. Senior officials from Hyderabad reached Kochi and has prepared a questionnaire. If his role in the case is proved or if he confesses to the crime, he is likely to be arrested. The NIA had the other day sought legal advice for including him in the list of the accused.

Sivasankar had admitted that he has personal connection with the accused. The NIA team will mainly quiz on whether he knew about the smuggling, whether directly or indirectly related, whether rewarded etc. He was earlier questioned by the NIA last Thursday for nearly five hours. They later issued a notice asking him to appear at their office in Kochi.