Kerala gold smuggling case: Sivasankar seeks anticipatory bail

Apprehending arrest by theEnforcement Directorate probing the Kerala gold smugglingcase, M Sivansankar, former principal secretary to the KeralaChief Minister, on Wednesday filed a plea in the High Courthere seeking anticipatory bail.

In his plea, Sivasankar said as a responsiblegovernment servant, he cooperated maximum with theinvestigation of the offence.

He said he was summoned by the ED on multipleoccasions to confront the statements given by differentaccused and different witnesses.

Sivasankar said with utmost responsibility hehas explained all the circumstances put to him.

He said he was questioned by differentagencies during the past one month for more than 90 hours, butnobody submitted any report against him before the court oflaw.

In the plea, Sivasankar said he stronglyapprehends that the investigating agency is under tremendouspressure due to the “media trial.” He said he fears that the medias “false propagandaand frivolous news items” and constant demand for his arrestfor creating news value has created a situation where theinvestigating agencies are forced to save their skin fromallegations by arresting him, thereby playing to the fourthestate and avoiding criticism.

Claiming innocence, Sivasankar said he wasprepared to cooperate with the investigation and prepared toabide by any condition imposed by the court.

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