[Kerala Gold Smuggling] Kerala HC Dismisses Plea Seeking Investigation Against Kerala CM & His Former Secretary

The Kerala High Court dismissed a PIL seeking CBI/ NIA investigation in the Kerala Gold Smuggling scam, Sprinklr Deal, BevQ App. scam and e-Mobility Consultancy scam, allegedly involving Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and former Principal Secretary M. Shivashankaran. The Petitioner, a resident of Cherthala town in Kerala, had moved the High Court alleging that Shivashankaran was a kingpin behind all the above mentioned scams and that Chief Minister Vijayan, though may not be directly involved in the nitty-gritties of transactions, was certainly fully aware of the incidents and further promoted the same by abusing his official position as the CM.
He had therefore sought for registration of FIR against both of them, allegedly for smuggling of gold to India using the diplomatic channel and the Sprinkler, BevQ App and eMobility Consultancy scams, which constitutes for offences under the Conservation Of Foreign Exchange and Prevention Of Smuggling Activities Act, 1974, Indian Penal Code, 1860, Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and the Customs Act, 1962.