NEW DELHI: Union Minister V Muraleedharan on Friday slammed the Kerala government over the gold smuggling case saying that those involved in smuggling are hand-in-glove with those in power.

Addressing a press conference here, the minister said, "The Kerala government, that had in the first place invited the Central Government for an enquiry, has now gone to court against CBI and said the agency does not have the authority to investigate. This shows that those involved in smuggling gold are hand-in-glove with those in power."

The Union Minister also raised questions on the additional charge of Electronics and IT Department to Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister.

"One more question that is being raised is...normally in every government in the various states the principal secretaries to the Chief Minister, they hold the charge of that office only. They do not hold an additional charge of the particular department in the government. But here, the principal secretary holds the charge of Electronics and IT Department of the government of Kerala and it is well-known fact that the Chief Minister has some relatives who are in the field of IT and electronics against whom there have been allegations," Muraleedharan said.

"Now the BJP and people of Kerala have been demanding that Chief Minister of Kerala should resign owning the moral responsibility of the whole incident that has happened," he added.