KOCHI: Minister K T Jaleel appeared in the custom’s preventive office in Kochi for interrogation in connection with Quran distribution case. He came in his official vehicle. He was served with a notice to appear at the agency’s office by 10 am on Monday. But one of the officials were tested positive for Covid 19 and the office need to be disinfected therefore he was asked to appear late.

Customs department has earlier constituted a probe team to conduct a preliminary probe over the issue. The probe team has found out a clear violation of procedures and law in transferring religious scriptures via the diplomatic channel with tax exemptions and distributing it among various institutions and persons across the state. The Quran packets addressed to UAE consulate reached on March 4 and the religious scripture was distributed across the state vehicle of C-apt, an institution which functions under the higher education council. The current enquiry is based on whether the Quran was imported under the directions of the minister.

The Quran packet weighed 4,479 kilos and it was in 250 packets. One Quran weighed 567 grams in the evaluation of customs. Jaleel was also grilled by NIA and ED to know about the contents of the packet. Both these times, he came in private vehicles and this has triggered a controversy.