Kerala IT Secretary M Sivasankar was removed as Secretary to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday, in the backdrop of the gold smuggling controversy, where the role of a former woman employee of the IT department is being probed.
UDF convener Benni Behanan said the Front has also decided to move a resolution against Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan and seek his resignation.
Odisha police conducted coordinated raids across multiple districts targeting individuals involved in illegal cattle transportation and smuggling, resulting in significant seizures and detentions.
Customs officials at Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport arrested a passenger from Dubai for attempting to smuggle 899.50 grams of 24K gold, valued at Rs 1.37 crore, concealed in capsules.
Despite a sharp increase in import duties on gold and silver to 15 per cent, the precious metals are trading at significant discounts in the domestic market, with gold seeing discounts of up to $200 an ounce and silver up to $6 an ounce.
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Customs officials at Delhi's IGI Airport seized approximately 48 crore worth of hydroponic weed from two Thai nationals arriving from Bangkok, marking one of the largest narcotics recoveries at an Indian international airport in recent years.
August is going to be a special month for Bollywood, thanks to the Independence Day weekend, which will see a couple of big releases.
A jeweller in Beed district was allegedly assaulted and robbed of Rs 3 lakh by fraudsters who promised to sell him gold biscuits smuggled from Dubai. Two suspects were arrested after their motorcycle crashed during their escape, while others remain at large.
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The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a case against smugglers bringing gold into India from abroad through various airports. The investigation follows the recent arrest of Kannada actor Ranya Rao at Bengaluru airport with 14.2 kg of gold worth Rs 12.56 crore. Two CBI teams have been deployed to Mumbai and Bengaluru airports to gather information.
Customs officials at Delhi's IGI Airport seized suspected hydroponic weed worth approximately Rs 48 crore from two Thai nationals arriving from Bangkok.
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'Even last year, when India bought gold, the physical quantity was much less than the previous years.'
West Bengal police have seized a staggering Rs 28.5 crore in cash and 15 kg of gold from the residence of absconding stone trader Tullu Mondal's manager and brother-in-law, Minar Mondal, in Birbhum district, leading to his arrest.
AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal has released an open letter to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, alleging secret deals with BJP leaders and the central government, raising questions about the LDF government's functioning ahead of the Assembly elections.
The Indian government has increased import duties on gold and silver from 6 per cent to 15 per cent to curb inbound shipments of precious metals amid a rising import bill due to the West Asia crisis.
India is scrambling to crack down on a new gold smuggling tactic that it fears could accelerate a flood of illegal imports of the precious metal into the world's second-biggest buyer.
The Congress demanded a National Investigation Agency probe into the matter while BJP state chief K Surendran courted arrest for forcefully entering the complex soon after the fire broke out. Fire department sources told PTI that their personnel at nearby Chenkalchoola were informed about the incident at 4.45 pm and by the time they reached the spot, the room was filled with smoke.
Recent regulations may have caused official gold imports to fall dramatically but evidence of smuggling is rising.
WGC had earlier estimated around 200 tonnes of gold was brought into India through smuggling in calendar year 2013.
The move could aggravate shortages in the physical market as authorities seize gold without a valid provenance.
Around Diwali, the premiums had gone up to as much as 3.5 per cent.
Kannada actress Ranya Rao, along with businessman Tarun Raju and jewellery dealer Sahil Jain, had their judicial custody extended until April 21 in connection with a gold smuggling case. The trio is accused of orchestrating the illegal import of gold worth over Rs 12.56 crore from Dubai to India. The case came to light in March 2025 when Rao was apprehended at Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport with 14.8 kilograms of gold allegedly smuggled from Dubai. Investigations revealed her association with Vira Diamonds Trading, a Dubai-based firm she co-founded with Tarun Raju, which authorities allege was used as a front for smuggling operations. Raju was arrested following evidence of his involvement in purchasing gold in Dubai and facilitating its illegal transport to India. Jeweller Sahil Jain is suspected of assisting Ranya in selling approximately 49 kilograms of smuggled gold valued at over Rs 40 crore and managing hawala transactions.
Official sources say that the finance ministry is aware of the possible spike in smuggling activity and has already asked intelligence agencies to tighten their vigilance and come down on the unofficial entry of gold into India.
The high import duty on gold, local taxes and restrictions on imports are leading to a rise in smuggling of the commodity into the country.
The government has asked jewellers to provide information on purchases of gold bars or jewellery worth more than Rs 500,000 by the end of this month, a move seen keeping a check on big transactions amid rising smuggling.
Gold demand in India is expected to be robust in 2014, likely leading to a further jump in smuggling if curbs on bullion imports remain, the World Gold Council (WGC) said.
Junior Civil Aviation Minister G M Siddeshwara told Parliament that disciplinary action has been taken against the employees.
Following through announcements with enforcement of measures is key, as a run through recent Indian economic history shows, points out A K Bhattacharya.
Customs officials at Delhi's IGI Airport seized over four kilogrammes of suspected marijuana valued at 4 crore from an Indian passenger arriving from Bangkok. Another person who had allegedly come to receive the consignment was also arrested.
A controversy surrounding the gold-clad plates of the Dwarapalaka idols at Sabarimala temple has ignited a political row in Kerala, with opposition parties alleging theft and demanding a comprehensive investigation into temple inventories and the role of a sponsor in the replating process.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday searched locations in Karnataka, including educational institutions linked to state Home Minister G Parameshwara, as part of a probe into alleged gold smuggling-linked money laundering case against Kannada actor Ranya Rao and others. The ED sources said an educational trust is suspected to have "diverted" funds and made a payment of Rs 40 lakh towards the credit card bill of Rao, allegedly on the instructions of an influential individual. The sources claimed the trust is linked to Parameshwara and the "influential" individual is a politically exposed person. The searches found there were no supporting vouchers or documentation to "substantiate" this payment (for credit card bill payment), they said.
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has successfully intercepted and seized 512 kg of red sanders at Cochin Port, preventing its illegal export to China. The red sanders were concealed within a consignment declared as rubber core veneer.
Kerala's voters are sophisticated, educated, and unforgiving. They have once again made it clear that no government is entitled to remain in power. The Congress would do well to remember this, points out Ramesh Menon.
The searches by the ED also covered certain vehicle owners, auto workshops, and traders in Ernakulam, Thrissur, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Kottayam and Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu).
The Mumbai Customs department seized narcotics, foreign currency, gold, and precious stones worth over Rs 46 crore at the Mumbai international airport in a week.
Kannada actress Ranya Rao's stepfather, Director General of Police Ramchandra Rao, has been sent on compulsory leave.
The Enforcement Directorate on Thursday continued its searches at places linked to Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara as part of the probe into alleged gold smuggling-linked money laundering case against Kannada actress Ranya Rao and others, official sources said.
