Kerala cops launch probe into police women's selfie with Swapna Suresh

The opposition parties Congress and the BJP had earlier raised allegations that Swapna Suresh while admitted to hospital tried to contact someone from a phone of a police officer or a nurse. They also raised allegations that the police women who were posted there as part of security of the accused took a selfie with her.

A probe has been launched into the allegation against at least six police women, who were posted at the medical college hospital here, for allegedlyclicking a selfie with the gold smuggling case accused Swapna Suresh, police said on Wednesday. A senior police official told PTI that disciplinary action will be taken in case the allegation is proved to be true.

"We have sought a report based on which we will take action, if needed," the senior official told PTI. The opposition parties Congress and the BJP had earlier raised allegations that Swapna Suresh while admitted to hospital tried to contact someone from a phone of a police officer or a nurse.

They also raised allegations that the police women who were posted there as part of security of the accused took a selfie with her. "We have not received any complaint in that regard," the official said when asked about the phone calls made.

Suresh, one of the accused in the gold smuggling case involving diplomatic baggage, has been hospitalised twice in the last eight days. "She had complained of uneasiness once again and after consulting with the prison doctors we shifted her to the medical college hospital here aday ago," a senior prison official said.

Earlier on September 7, she was admitted to the medical college here after she complained of chest pain and was discharged after six days. Her hospitalisation was marred with controversies after Congress MLA Anil Akkara had alleged that she had met a Kerala minister during hospitalisation.

However, later it was revealed that he himself had visited the hospital the day she was admitted. Akkara later claimed that he visited the hospital to make sure that "no one else visitsher." Sources said the NIA was planning to seek an explanation from the MLA on his visit to the hospital.

Swapna Suresh was arrested in connection with seizure of 30 kg of gold worth Rs 15 crore at the International airport at Thiruvananthapuram on July 5. The woman, who is a former employee of the UAE consulate here, is among the four accused booked by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in the smuggling of the gold through diplomatic baggage.