ED attaches properties, FDs worth Rs 1.84 crores in Kerala gold smuggling case
The two ladies in question are learnt to have carried 56 kgs of gold from Dubai to Cochin during August - September, 2013.
New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached movable and immovable properties totaling to Rs. 1.84 crores under Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA) in gold smuggling case. The attached immovable properties are in the form of a residential house, an apartment and land in Kozhikode held in the name of Smt. P C Sabana wife of Faiz T K,Subair Y M and Abdul Rahim. The attached movable properties are in the form of Fixed Deposit held in the name of Ashraf Kallunkal in Federal Bank Ltd, Kozhikode Branch.
ED initiated investigation under PMLA in gold smuggling case on the basis of FIR and Charge Sheet of CBI, ACB, COCHIN under section 120B and 420 of IPC and Sections 7, 12, 13(2) r/w 13(1)(d) of PC Act against C. Madhavan, Former Deputy Commissioner Customs, P.P. Sunil Kumar, Faiz T K, Sri. Ashraf Kallunkal, Subair Y M and Sri. Abdul Rahim and others. On 19.03.2013, two lady carriers namely Arifa Haris and Asifa Veera were apprehended by Customs Authorities and 20 Kgs of gold was recovered and seized from them.
These two ladies had illegally carried 56 kgs of gold from Dubai to Cochin during August – September, 2013.These gold consignments were sent by one Faiz T K using his contacts with Customs Officers for one Ashraf Kallunkal who is a prominent businessman of Kerala. According to CBI charge sheet, by smuggling of gold worth Rs. 17.86 crores, there was a wrongful loss on account of non-payment of customs duty which was Rs.
1.83 crores (10% customs duty + 3% cess)
The money trail investigation carried out by ED revealed that Faiz T K and Ashraf Kallunkal were the masterminds behind the gold smuggling. Faiz picked the lady carriers staying in Dubai with their family, who were in need of money and executed the smuggling. Accused Ashraf Kallunkal was the main investor in the gold purchase and smuggled the same to India with the help of Faiz T K, who has good relationship with many prominent persons in Kerala. Ashraf Kallunkal and Sri. Faiz T K had accumulated the profit in Dubai and later transferred the same to their accounts in India. The proceeds of crime were placed in the form of immovable and movable properties.
Money trail has also revealed the role of Abdul Rahim @ Thangal Rahim of Koduvally, Calicut and Subair Y M, brother of Ashraf Kallunkal. Subair Y M was the recipient of gold on behalf of his brother Ashraf Kallunkal and also benefitted. Accordingly identified the proceeds of crime in the form of 3 immovable properties valued at Rs. Rs. 98.85 lakhs and one FD valued at Rs. 85,15,230 totaling to Rs. 1.84 crores have been attached under PMLA.
Further investigation under progress.