Gold smuggling case: Former Principal Secy to Kerala CM M Sivasankar suspended

Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], July 16 (ANI): Former Principal Secretary to the Kerala Chief Minister and former IT secretary M Sivasankar has been suspended pending enquiry for violation of service rules after his alleged links with gold smuggling accused surfaced.
Announcing the decision here on Thursday, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that the decision to suspend him was taken based on the findings of a panel headed by the Chief Secretary that was asked to probe all allegations against Sivasankar.
"A panel headed by the Chief Secretary which had Finance Secretary in it, was appointed to probe matters that came up against Sivasankar in connection with gold smuggling. Based on the report submitted today, M Sivasankar has been suspended for violation of service rules," the Chief Minister said.
He said that the departmental enquiry against Sivasankar will continue. "The details of the report will be made public after examining it fully," he added.
This comes at a time when the Opposition -- Congress and BJP -- were clamouring for the suspension of the IAS official whom they alleged was hand in glove with the gold smuggling accused.
Earlier, Sivasankar who handled two plum positions as Principal Secretary to Chief Minister and state IT secretary was stripped of the posts after his alleged links with Swapna Suresh, one of the accused in the gold smuggling case, surfaced.
As part of the investigation into gold smuggling case, the customs had grilled the IAS officer for about nine hours after more evidence of his links with accused Swapna, Sarith and Sandeep Nair, including mobile phone records were found. (ANI)