Kochi: The Enforcement Directorate probing the money trail in the Kerala gold smuggling case on Wednesday let off Bineesh Kodiyeri, son of Kerala CPM secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, after over 11 hours of interrogation. The quizzing was led by ED Joint Director Jaiganesh from Chennai.

Bineesh, who appeared before the ED officials here at around 11 am, was allowed to leave office at 10 pm after completing his interrogation. Emerging from the ED office, Bineesh refused to speak to the media. He was summoned for interrogation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), after charges were levelled against him for his close links with some members of a drug racket busted by the Narcotics Control Bureau in Bengaluru recently.

As per PMLA, if one fails to furnish details on the source of finances, the assets can be confiscated. The accused can be awarded 3 to 7 years of jail. Also, if case is registered under PMLA, it becomes the responsibility of the accused to prove innocence.

ED is probing into the financial dealings of the institutions connected to Bineesh. The accused in gold smuggling case, Swapna Suresh had earlier claimed that she obtained commission from UAFX Solutions Pvt Ltd in Thiruvananthapuram. ED found that one of the directors of the company, Abdul Latheef has financial deals with Bineesh. It was also found that he has partnership in two companies registered after 2015. However, the companies are non-functioning now. Their audit report was never submitted and its license were cancelled. ED is also inquiring into this.

Earlier in the day, the ED told a special court here that the accused in the Bengaluru drug case were suspected to have assisted those allegedly involved in the sensational gold smuggling case in Kerala. The ED made the submission in the Special Court for PMLA cases here while seeking extension of judicial remand of three accused in the gold smuggling case, including Sarith P S, Sandeep Nair and Swapna Suresh.

"Further investigation revealed that the accused in the Bengaluru drug trafficking case registered by the Narcotics Control Bureau, Bengaluru are suspected to have assisted the accused in the gold smuggling case", the ED submitted in the court.

The central agency said the NCB, Bengaluru, has been requested to share with it, details of the drug seizure case. It said one of the high-profile persons who is alleged to be linked to the case is being interrogated.

In addition to this, more than 20 people who are involved in the gold smuggling case are to be investigated, it said.

Earlier, the youth wing of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) had alleged that Bineesh Kodiyeri has close links with some members of the Bengaluru drug racket busted by the Narcotics Control Bureau in Bengaluru recently. Youth League General Secretary P K Firos had alleged that Bineesh had invested money in a hotel business launched by the drug case accused Mohammed Anoop in Kammanahalli in 2015 and demanded a comprehensive investigation into it.

Bineesh has said he knew Anoop and his family and the latter had borrowed money from him and some others for starting the restaurant business in Bengaluru some years ago. He had also said he was shocked after hearing the news about Anoop's alleged involvement in drug trafficking.

The statement recorded by NCB from Anoop also mentioned Bineesh, tightening the noose for the latter.

(With inputs from PTI)