M Sivasankar | Photo: Mathrubhumi
Kochi: Former principal secretary to the Kerala Chief Minister M Sivasankar was granted bail in the dollar smuggling case. Sivasankar will be released from jail today itself after spending 98 days in jail. He was granted bail in the earlier 2 cases.
Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (Economic Offences) Court pronounced the order on the bail application of M Sivasankar.
As per the bail condition, he has been directed to appear before the Customs office an all Mondays. He has to pay Rs 2 lakh bond and produce surety of 2 persons.
Sivasankar's arrest was first recorded on October 28 by the Enforcement Directorate and then by the Customs on November 23. He was arrested again on January 21 in the dollar case.
Earlier, opposing the bail plea, Customs had contended, "Sivasankar's influence posed the danger of intimidation of witnesses, as he was stationed at Thiruvananthapuram. The dubious conduct of the petitioner extended beyond the borders of the country, where too he appeared to command tremendous influence."
Sivasankar had been granted bail by the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate's Court on Monday in the Gold Smuggling Case.
He, however, remained in prison because the case registered against him by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) regarding the dollar smuggling case is still ongoing. The dollar smuggling came to light during the investigation of the Kerala gold smuggling case, which is currently being probed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), the Enforcement Directorate (ED), and the Customs department.
RELATED STORIES
.jpg?$p=fdf1e0b&f=1x1&w=100&q=0.8)
%20(1).jpg?$p=d37525f&q=0.8&f=16x11&w=104)
.jpg?$p=f45ebce&q=0.8&f=16x11&w=104)
.jpg?$p=24d41f7&q=0.8&f=16x11&w=104)
