Prime accused in the Kerala gold smuggling case, Swapna Suresh in an interview to CNN-NEWS18 on Saturday said senior IAS officer M Sivasankar had made false allegations against her in his book. Suresh made the allegation against Sivasankar’s autobiographical book narrating his version of the controversial episode titled “Ashwathamavu verum oru aana.” Sivasankar is the Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s former principal secretary and an accused in the case. In his latest book, he said, ” I was shocked When I heard the unexpected news that Swapna Suresh who was a friend of mine for the past three years had a role in such illegal activities.”He also wrote that Swapna had asked him on July 1 and 2, 2020 if he could do anything to release the baggage from customs as the higher official in the consulate was getting furious. He had then replied stating that customs have their formalities and it was not right to interfere in it. Suresh has refuted all these allegations and said that she had informed Shivashankar about the baggage under instruction from the consul general and the former principal secretary had assured that the baggage will be released soon. Swapna Suresh alleged, “on consul general’s instruction I contacted Shivashankar and told him about this baggage. He told me that he will get in touch with the customs and find out what has happened and said that since it is diplomatic baggage it will not be opened.” “He called me later in the evening and told me to convey this message to the consul general that his baggage will be released soon without further delay,” she added. Swapna added that she does not know whether Shivashankar called up the customs officials but this was the message he had conveyed to her.Swapna also alleged that before gold was seized by customs, at least 7 to 8 times some contraband was brought in. Worried about the malpractices, she had spoken to Shivashankar about it. “Before customs seizing gold, seven to eight times this had happened. I am not completely aware that there is gold in every consignment. This department was purely handled by the consul general and PRO but I knew that there was something contraband in it, because of how they were behaving, the urgency to release it. I was really worried about the malpractices and told Shivashankar about it. It was one of the main reasons that Shivashankar suggested that these malpractice practices would come into my head after their transfer or after their tenure is over here. So I was also in double mind whether I should resign,” Swapna allegedSwapna also alleged that after the gold was seized, it was based on Shivashankar’s instructions that she went to Kochi to get anticipatory bail.Swapna also alleges that Shivashankar was behind bringing in the NIA inquiry. Swapna alleged, “I learned from reliable sources that bringing NIA into a customs case was the master plan of Shivashankar. He required that Swapna Suresh shouldn’t open her mouth, she shouldn’t come out of jail.” Swapna said that she addressed the media to react to the allegations made against her by Shivashankar despite their close relationship over the years. “These allegations Shivashankar made in his book have hurt me so much and I understood that it’s a preplanned manipulation or exploitation he did towards me as a woman, mother. Shivashankar used me for his professional and personal intentions.”Swapna added that Shivashankar should have just written the truth about their relationship. She said, “It was not just based on just an iPhone alone. There are no words to express the emotions that we shared. There was a lot of giving and taking in these last three years. Shivashankar knew my day-to-day activities, he was the only person that I used to open up to. There were no secrets between us.”The gold smuggling case was a major political issue in Kerala. It was one of the major issues that were raised by the opposition during the 2021 assembly elections against the LDF government and CM’s office. Swapna said that none of the investigating agencies had pressurized her to name anyone including the CM.Swapna said, “I did not go through any pressurizing from any of the investigation agencies to name anyone.As part of the interrogation, definitely lot many questions about the politicians were there that’s was just part of the interrogation.” About 30 kg of gold was seized by the customs from the diplomatic baggage at the Thiruvananthapuram airport on July 5, 2020. The cargo was addressed to charge d’ affairs at the Consulate General of the UAE in Thiruvananthapuram. The case took a political turn when M Shivashankar, then principal secretary to Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan was named in the case and arrested. Shivashankar was suspended from service and was arrested by the customs and ED. He is out on bail and has been reinstated to service after suspension. Read all the Latest News, Breaking News and Coronavirus News here.