Kerala Gold Smuggling: UAE Acting Consul-General at Whose Behest Cargo was Allegedly Cleared Has Left India

Raashid Khamis Ali Musaiqri Al Shemeili, the acting Consul-General at the UAE Consulate in Thiruvananthapuram, has reportedly left for the UAE. According to highly placed sources, he left India two days ago from New Delhi.

The official left India even as an examination concerning the gold pirating by means of the Thiruvananthapuram air terminal is still on. UAE Consulate ex-staff member Swapna Suresh, suspected to be a key figure in the offer to sneak gold, said in her expectant bail in High Court that she worked with the department "on demand premise" and had mediated to get the freight cleared at the command of Al Sheimeili. The pack with the gold, which Suresh and another blamed Sarith, attempted to carry in was in the official's



name. 

Government sources in New Delhi said India has not made any move against Al Sheimeili, which implies he was not approached to leave.

Suresh said in the application that the cargo was addressed to Al Sheimeili and it was on his direction that she intervened with Customs about a delay in getting it released.

Suresh, who claimed she had resigned as an executive secretary at the consulate in September 2019, said, “It was as per discharging the official duty that she contacted the Customs.”

The bail application mentioned that the Consul General returned to the UAE in April and Al Sheimeili was subsequently appointed Acting Consul-General. His number was also on Suresh's call list.