KOCHI: Karat Faisal, the LDF councilor who went into Customs custody on Thursday was finally set free by the department on Friday. The department has asked him to appear before its officials within two weeks. Faisal will be grilled again only after a detailed evaluation of his testimony and after collecting more evidence. Faisal was held by the department from his home on Thursday.

NIA officials visited the customs office on Friday afternoon. Wife of Sandeep Nair, the fourth accused in the case has given testimony to the customs department revealing Faisal’s role in the case. She told the department Faisal has come to meet Sandeep several times at his home and made discussions with him on gold smuggling.

Karat Faisal is an important leader of LDF in Koduvally. He is the relative and close aide of P T A Rahim who defeated Muslim League from the Kunnamangalam seat in the previous assembly polls. Faisal was accused in certain cases of gold smuggling before becoming LDF’s councillor.