The accused minister had facilitated the transport of the Quran parcels from Thiruvananthapuram International Airport to C-Apt (Kerala State Centre for Advanced Printing & Training) presided by him. The UAE however has categorically stated that it does not export Quran through its Consulate.
Kerala Minister KT Jaleel
K.T. Jaleel, the Kerala Minister for Higher Education, Welfare of Minorities, Wakf and Hajj, is expected to undergo interrogation by Customs Department soon. It is in view of various allegations he does face. The most important reason for inviting the scanner of the Customs is the mystery behind the “import” of Quran parcels he facilitated to transport from Thiruvananthapuram International Airport to C-Apt (Kerala State Centre for Advanced Printing & Training) presided by him. He is alleged to have called gold smuggle accused Swapna Suresh several times after 250 bundles of “Quran” reached the airport.
Customs documents do show that 250 packages reached airport on March 6, 2020; UAE Consulate is the consignee as per the document. “Islamic Affairs And Charitable Act, P.O.B. No: 3135, Dubai’ was the consignor. Bundles bore the label, “Holy Quran Diplomatic Cargo”. Rs 895,800 is the cost of the consignment as per the document and weight is 4479 kgs. And, the bundles reached C-Apt only on June 26. And, only 32 bundles reached C-Apt, its employees told during the Customs interrogation; the same quantity of 32 bundles had been transported to Edappal from there (C-Apt).
K.T. Jaleel has admitted that bundles were taken to Edappal in Malappurm district in C-Apt vehicle. But, after the inquiry it was revealed that a C-Apt vehicle went to Bengaluru and returned from there only after a week.
Meanwhile a senior official of UAE has stated that UAE does not export Quran through its Consulate. The mystery regarding the bundles of Quran became turned significant after the admission by Swapna and Sarith that gold and anti-national literature were imported as diplomatic baggage.
Jaleel had come out with a statement of justification when news spread that he had called Swapna. He claimed that he called Swapna only on May 27 in the wake of WhatsApp message from UAE Consul General in connection with the Ramadan food kit distribution. But, the call lists reportedly show that he had called her even before that. According to the list he had called Swapna 16 times since the day bundles reached the airport. Protocol insists that union government’s nod is a must before distributing the commodities coming from the foreign consulates. And, the union government has to inspect them before it gives nod (or not). Nothing of that sort took place in this case. So, Jaleel is answerable to the authorities regarding his pro-active role in this respect.
BJP demands Jaleel’s resignation
BJP and several organisations and movements believe that Sri. K.T. Jaleel has no right to continue in his position in the wake of various protocol violations by him and the clear rapport he maintained with the accused in the infamous gold smuggling and anti-national cases. They have appealed to both the CM and State Governor to sack the minister at the earliest. Samoohya Neethi Samrakshna Vedi (Forum for The Protection of Social Justice) submitted a memorandum before the Hon. Governor of Kerala demanding the earliest sack of Jaleel.
Sri. K.T. Jaleel did not respect the protocol of seeking and obtaining the permission of the union government before receiving the food packets from the UAE Consulate and distributing them in his constituency. He did not bother to seek union government’s approval before collecting bundles of Quran copies from the same Consulate and distribute among the people. Both are naked and blatant violation of protocols.
People of Kerala suspect numerous mysteries in connection with the transportation of bundles and boxes of Quran copies to the premises of C-Apt (Kerala State Centre for Advanced Printing & Training) presided by Minister Sri. K.T. Jaleel. And, the minister struggles hard to explain various phone conversations he had with gold smuggle accused Ms. Swapna Suresh.
Despite various violations of the oath he took as a minister he shamelessly sticks on to his ministerial seat. And, the Hon. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan leaves no stone unturned to protect his ministerial colleague despite his shady status. Not much people believe that Pinarayi is bold enough to sack Jaleel, thanks to the vote bank politics the CM always love to follow. It is a one million dollar question if Pinarayi is courageous to take actions against his close aide who looks like keeping close rapport with the gold smuggle racket.
