Thiruvananthapuram: Action has been taken against Arun Balachandran of the IT department for booking a flat for the gold smuggling case accused.

According to reports, Arun booked the flat following the direction of former IT secretary M. Sivasankar

Arun has been removed from the position of Marketing and Operations Director to the Chief Minister’s High Power Digital Committee. Arun Balachandran was initially appointed in the CM’s office as an IT Fellow to the Chief Minister. But after the Sprinklr controversy broke out, he was appointed in the new post.

Earlier, Arun Balachandran had told the media that he had booked the flat following the direction of Sivasankar.

However, the government and sources from the IT department said the action against Arun is for being part of an issue that damaged the government’s image.

Read more: Gold smuggling case: Booked flat as directed by Sivasankar, says his subordinate Arun Balachandran