KOCHI: The Customs have got information that Ismail, the close associate of Muvattupuzha resident P.A. Naushad, the main accused in a gold smuggling case, has gone into hiding with crores of rupees of ill-gotten money and gold. He went into hiding the day after Naushad was arrested.
Since he is in charge of keeping the money needed to handle the cases of the gold smuggling racket, Ismail could not escape to foreign countries like his associates. The indication is that he is changing his place of stay on alternate days in the Munnar-Marayur region to avoid an arrest. By the time investigators reached the place where he was staying in Marayur, he escaped.
The members of the gang went into hiding after Naushad and co-accused, civil police officer Jabin K. Basheer, were arrested.
Political leaders and police officers who were close to them are not helping them directly, fearing that it could land them in trouble. The gang has crores of rupees of ill-gotten money and gold. The hawala money and gold were kept in the business establishments of the accused in Muvattupuzha.
Naushad’s brother Faisal, Ismail, Nibin K. Basheer and his father K.A. Basheer were in charge of the network that distributed smuggled gold and money. Among them, Faisal and Ismail are yet to be arrested.
The Customs have started measures to bring back the accused who have escaped to Dubai. The investigation team has been advised by legal experts to attach the assets of the people in hiding by listing them among the accused.
The family of the businessman in Muvattupuzha who brought Naushad into gold smuggling is also under observation. This businessman and his brother went abroad once the Customs started arresting people in the case. With this, doubts about their role in the case have strengthened.
