THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has launched an operation over the reverse hawala smuggling in which high-ranking officials, including politicians, smuggled dollars abroad through the UAE Consulate's diplomatic channel. Gold smuggling case accused Swapna Suresh and P.S. Sarith will be questioned soon by ED after revelations about reverse hawala transaction, which includes the names of some ministers and high-ranking constitutional dignitaries, and a film star.

Kerala Kaumudi had released the details of the reverse hawala transaction in which some high-ranking officials smuggled over Rs 100 crore to the UAE with the help of Swapna and Sandeep. The ED's move is to probe the transactions of these high-ranking officials for money laundering and benami deposits.

The ED filed an application in the Ernakulam Principal Sessions Court yesterday seeking permission to interrogate Swapna and Sarith in jail for three days. The court may consider the application soon. The ED is coming to Thiruvananthapuram for a detailed inquiry into the incident after the names of the Assembly speaker and others sparked political controversy.

The images taken by a top gun with Swapna at the Burj Khalifa in Dubai have been recovered after a scientific examination of the phones. Central agencies also received information that Swapna and his team had brought some dignitaries to the UAE at the expense of the consulate to study governance in Dubai.

It was found that Swapna and the group had been engaged in a reverse hawala transaction for three years.

Some shocking revelations

Some ministers' foreign financial transactions and investments have been disclosed by Swapna to the Customs.

The two children of a minister are under investigation. There is information about the dealings of the father-in-law of a minister's son in connection with the life bribery deal. The minister is also under suspicion in a big deal involving the police.

Arranged investment facilities for two persons and made black money transactions for them

Another top gun tried to set an international university in Sharjah. In the revelation Swapna said she he had negotiated and paid for the franchise of a large educational institution.