Kochi: Customs which began interrogating former principal secretary to Chief Minister, M Sivasankar for the second time, is mainly based on the import of palm dates to Kerala through UAE consulate apart from the gold smuggling.
Since 2017, 17,000 kgs of palm dates were imported to the state through UAE consulate and the Customs is questioning on this regard. It was distributed in orphanages in the state that falls under the Department of Social Justice without the permission of the Central Government.
TV Anupama, who was the then department secretary, told Customs that the project was implemented on the instructions of Sivasankaran, the principal secretary to the chief minister.
According to Customs finding, only 9000 kgs of dates were distributed in the state. Information on remaining palm dates remain unknown and therefore the Customs is investigating this and also examining whether gold was smuggled through it.
The interrogation started at 10.30 am and is continuing in the office of the Kochi Customs Preventive Commissioner.
