June,6,2016:
The Accused are in detention under COFEPOSA in a major Gold Smuggling Case.
A Kerala High Court Senior sitting Justice today surprised everyone by stating in open court that a bribe of Rs 25 lakh he was offered to him. The offer came to made in a COFEPOSA matter which involved gang members of gold smuggling racket. Thereafter the division bench recused itself from the case.
Justice K T Sankaran made the damning revelation when he told that he was offered Rs 25 lakh bribe by the accused following which bench has recused by citing "reasons beyond control".
COFEPOSA advisory board had confirmed preventive detention of the 8 accused in the major gold smuggling case.
Provisions of COFEPOSA were also invoked against nine accused in the Nedumbassery gold smuggling case where about 2,000 kgs gold was smuggled through the Cochin International Airport for a base at the Muvattupuzha along with the help of airport staff which also includes an ex-immigration officer.
Central Economic Intelligence Bureau(CEIB), New Delhi also has issued a detention order against the nine accused-- Noushad P A, Faisal P A, Salim M M, Fazil K B, Yasir Ibnu Muhammed, Syfudheen M S, Jabin K Basheer, Bibin Scaria and Shinoy Mohandas.
Faisal, is still absconding,while all other accused have been detained and imprisoned in Central Prison of Thiruvananthapuram in October last year.
This racket was busted in May last year after Special Investigation and Intelligence Branch of Customs (SIIBC) seized about 13 kgs of gold found hidden under the seats of bus ferrying the passengers from aircraft to the terminal.
Accused had allegedly smuggled about 2,000 kg gold, which is worth hundreds of crores of rupees through the Cochin International Airport during a period of less than 2 years.
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