Court grants pardon to accused in 2020 Kerala gold smuggling case

The court order said Kutty categorically accepted the tender of pardon on the condition that he would make a full and true disclosure of all circumstances within his knowledge relating to the offence.

A court here has granted pardon to an accused in the 2020 gold smuggling case in which diplomatic baggage was allegedly used to smuggle gold from the UAE to Thiruvananthapuram. The NIA court on Wednesday tendered a pardon to Ahammed Kutty, alias Kunjani, of Perinthalmanna. Kutty, the 20th accused in the case, was arrested by the National Investigation Agency in July last year upon his arrival from Dubai. In its order tendering pardon, the court said Kutty had voluntarily expressed his desire to make a full and true disclosure and confession of all facts and circumstances within his knowledge. His statement was recorded by the Ernakulam Chief Judicial Magistrate on the direction of the NIA court, following which he was made an approver in the case. ''He declared his willingness to give true and full evidence of matters within his knowledge regarding the culpability of other accused persons and asserted that if he fails to make a true and full disclosure of facts, his status as an approver can be revoked and the prosecution can proceed against him as an accused,'' the court observed. The court order said Kutty categorically accepted the tender of pardon on the condition that he would make a full and true disclosure of all circumstances within his knowledge relating to the offence. The court further noted that Kutty's status had been altered to that of an accomplice. ''The accused is tendered pardon on the condition that he shall make a full and true disclosure of all circumstances and facts within his knowledge relating to the offence and to every other person concerned, whether as principal or abettor, in the commission thereof. The accused shall be examined as a witness during trial,'' the court ordered. The 2020 gold smuggling case was a sensational incident in which 30.44 kg of gold was seized by Customs from diplomatic baggage addressed to Rashid Al Khamis, Charge d'Affaires at the UAE Consulate in Thiruvananthapuram, on July 5, 2020. The NIA later arrested the prime accused, Swapna Suresh, and others, and filed a charge sheet against 20 persons. Apart from Customs and the NIA, the Enforcement Directorate also registered a case and arrested M Sivasankar, former principal secretary to the Kerala Chief Minister, who is yet to be arraigned as an accused in the NIA case.

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