Kerala gold smuggling case: NIA makes yet one more arrest, Muhammad Mansoor is thirty fifth accused

By Express News Service
KOCHI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday made yet one more arrest within the Kerala gold smuggling case during which round 167 kg of gold have been introduced from the UAE utilizing diplomatic baggage on 21 events in 2019 and 2020. The central company arrested Muhammad Mansoor also referred to as Manju, aged 36, a local of Kallurutty close to Thiruvambady, Kozhikode. He is the thirty fifth accused within the case.

Mansoor arrived at Kochi airport on a flight from Dubai on Wednesday morning and was intercepted by immigration officers after a lookout discover was issued in opposition to him. Later NIA officers arrived on the airport and recorded his arrest earlier than taking him to the NIA workplace in Kochi.

“He assisted in procuring the gold and dispatching it to Kerala. We arraigned him as accused based on the statement of a witness in the case. He was in Dubai for more than a year. He can reveal names of persons who aided him in Dubai,” an NIA official mentioned.

There are additionally studies that Mansoor returned to Kerala to give up earlier than the NIA. However, the NIA is but to verify this.

The NIA will search his custody after producing him earlier than the NIA court docket in Kochi quickly. This is the twenty second arrest made by NIA within the gold smuggling case. The NIA had filed a cost sheet in opposition to 20 accused individuals within the case in January this yr. As many as six individuals who’re needed within the case are nonetheless absconding and most of them are believed to be within the UAE.