Customs Slaps ₹12cr Penalty on Two Former UAE Consulate Officials in Kerala Gold Smuggling Case, RTI Reveals

The Customs Department has levied penalties totaling ₹12 crore against two former officials of the UAE Consulate in connection with the well-known Kerala gold smuggling case in diplomatic baggage.

According to information obtained through a Right to Information query by Kochi-based resident Govindan Namboothiri, both the former Consulate General and the ex-Charge d’Affaires (Admin Attaché) have each been fined ₹6 crore, reported Manorama Online.

The authorities have not made public whether the fined amount has been paid by the officials. The case has remained under public scrutiny due to its political ramifications in Kerala, involving, among others, P.R. Sivasankar, the former Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

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While several rounds of investigations have been conducted, key questions about the ultimate source and intended recipients of the smuggled gold still remain unanswered. The matter continues to be under review before the Customs, Excise, and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT).

In 2023, the Commissioner of Customs (Preventive) Kochi slapped a total of Rs 66.60 crore fine on all the accused in the gold smuggling case. The former employee of UAE Consulate-General Office and prime accused in the case Swapna Suresh has been directed to pay Rs. 6 crore while a fine of Rs 50 lakh was slapped on the former principal secretary to Kerala CM, M Sivasankar.

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