NEW DELHI: M Sivasankar, former Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, has approached the Supreme Court against the Enforcement Directorate's plea to transfer the gold smuggling case outside Kerala. In his petition, Sivasankar said that he should be heard before passing the verdict.

It was the Assistant Director of ED Kochi Zone who approached the Supreme Court requesting that the trial of the gold smuggling case be transferred to a court outside Kerala. The investigating officers want to transfer the case to Bengaluru.

ED alleged in its plea that a free and fair trial of the case was not possible in the state. It also said that there was a close nexus between the accused and top officials and functionaries of the Kerala government. Currently, the case is under the consideration of the Ernakulam District Sessions Court. Swapna Suresh, Sandeep Nair, Sivasankar and Sarith are the accused in the case.