KOCHI: Customs will question chief minister’s former principal secretary M Sivasankaran on Saturday. Customs has asked Sivasankaran to appear before the department’s office. On Friday, he was questioned for 11 hours and the grilling ended by 10 pm.

Sources in the department say that evidence against Sivasankaran has come to light and his clarification is required only over a few issues. The department has not given a clear answer to the query of, has it enquired the source of money which Swapna kept in her bank locker on Sivasankaran’s advice. Meanwhile, Sivasankaran said to customs that he has not directed chartered accountant P Venugopal to open a bank locker for Swapna.

Shivasankar is the only non-accused who was grilled so many times by different agencies in connection with the gold smuggling case. NIA has earlier quizzed Shivasankar thrice. Customs has summoned him twice on Friday. ED has also questioned him earlier.

Customs has also revealed Shivasankar’s role in the importing of dates via UAE consulate in the interrogation held on Friday. Shivasankar also told the customs that the chief minister’s office organised the inauguration ceremony on his direction.

However, he said that he was unaware of how 7,000 kg of dates were misplaced and Swapna amassing such a huge amount of assets and wealth. Now, customs also suspect Sivansankar’s role in converting the commission received to Swapna and her gang into dollars. When he was asked about this, he denied it.