Kochi: The absconding key accused in the Thiruvananthapuram airport gold smuggling case, advocate Biju Manoharan, surrendered before the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) office here on Friday. This was after the High Court issued a directive asking him to surrender by 10 am on Friday.
Biju surrendered around 9 am and his arrest was recorded after interrogation which continued till evening. He was later produced before the Ernakulam Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (Economic Offence) and was remanded in judicial custody. DRI will seek his custody for further interrogation, it is learnt.
According to officials, Biju is the kingpin of the racket that smuggled over 400 kg of gold through the airport in the last one-and-half years. The racket was busted after DRI arrested two persons including a woman with 25 kg of gold at Thiruvananthapuram airport on May 13. Following that, the Customs superintendent V. Radhakrishnan was arrested by the sleuths in connection with the gold haul, on May 24.
Meanwhile, the Ernakulam Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (Economic Offence) has granted bail to the wife of Biju who was arrested by DRI. Biju himself has smuggled the gold on multiple occasions and used his wife as a carrier. The court had directed her not to leave Ernakulam district and asked to surrender the passport.
