Kerala Gold Smuggling Case: High Profile Left leader With Links To CPI-M Top Brass, Arrested

The Customs Department has taken Karat Faizal, a high profile local Left leader from Kozhikode, in custody for his alleged involvement in the Kerala gold smuggling scam.

The leader, a people’s representative at the Koduvally Municipality, was taken into custody after a secret raid at his residence on Thursday (1 October).

Faizal won the local body polls 2015 as Left Independent candidate. He also has links with Left Front independent legislator Karat Razak.

The Customs department officials arrived at Faizal’s residence in the early hours of Thursday and the search continued for around two hours. Thereafter, the officials took him into custody and taken him to an undisclosed location for further interrogation.

Faizal had grabbed the attention a few years back when state CPI-M secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan travelled into his luxury car during a party rally in Kozhikode district.

He had also been under Customs department’s scanner earlier.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)