The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has filed a third charge sheet in response to the arrest of Ramees K.T., the head of a gold smuggling organisation, through Trivandrum International Airport while posing as diplomatic luggage for the UAE Consulate. He was taken into custody by a judge after being detained by the ED on April 5, 2023. He was interrogated over more than 2000 voice records of Telegram conversations between himself and associates involved in the aforementioned smuggling, among other things.
Ramees K.T. revealed the identities of several sponsors of the gold smuggling, including those from Dubai, as well as several of the beneficiaries. Following an investigation, it was discovered that 27 people had been charged with money laundering after being implicated in the crime.
Earlier in this case, the ED detained P.S. Sarith, Sandeep Nair, M. Sivasankar, and Smt. Swapna Prabha Suresh. Two Provisional Attachment Orders for the attachment of various movable properties totalling Rs. 16.80 Crore were issued in addition to the aforementioned. In addition to the aforementioned, charge sheets have been filed against them asking for their punishment under Section 4 of the PMLA, 2002 as well as the confiscation of the properties linked to the Money Laundering offence, of which the Honourable Court has already taken attention.
Additionally, a third Provisional Attachment Order has been issued for the attachment of different moveable and immovable properties for a combined total of Rs. 4.65 crore. The properties mentioned above were also listed in the current charge sheet, along with a request for confiscation under the PMLA of 2002. The entire value of the properties that have been attached in this case up to this point, including the current attachment, is Rs. 21.50 Crore.
