THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has taken M Sivasankar, former principal secretary to the chief minister, into custody. He was taken into custody from Triveni Nursing Home, an Ayurveda hospital in Vanchiyoor, where he was undergoing treatment for the past one week. The officials reached the hospital minutes after the high court rejected his anticipatory bail plea. The enforcement issued the summons after talking to the doctors.

It is believed that his arrest will be registered soon. The court did not initially accept his arguments. The court rejected his bail plea after approving customs and enforcement’s arguments. Justice Ashok Menon accepted central agencies' contention that influential Sivasankar could destroy evidence if granted anticipatory bail.

The court said there is no obstruction in arresting him. The enforcement’s argument was that Sivasankar had an active role in the conspiracy in gold smuggling and he misused his top post in the office of the chief minister for it. The customs had also informed the high court that the anticipatory bail plea was not legally binding.