KOCHI: M Sivasankar, former principal secretary to the Chief Minister, was interrogated for 11 hours by the Customs Preventive Division on Friday. The former principal secretary was asked about the details of the distribution of dates that reached the UAE Consulate. The questioning will continue on Saturday.

Earlier, the Customs officials had grilled Sivasankar for around 17 hours in the gold smuggling case. Later, another case was registered in connection with tax evasion on imports of dates. Sivasankar was summoned on the basis of the statement provided by TV Anupama who was the director of the Social Justice department. Anupama had told the customs that it was Sivasankar who directed her to distribute the dates to orphanages and special schools.

The tax was exempted for the dates that arrived through the diplomatic channel. There was no understanding or agreement to deliver the dates outside. In 2017, 17,000 kg of dates reached the UAE Consulate