Thiruvananthapuram: An audio clip of a conversation between gold smuggling accused Swapna Suresh and former journalist Shaj Kiran alleges that the funds of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and CPI-M state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan go to the US through the Believers Church.
This new revelation, which Swapna had told the media on Thursday will be released by her on Friday at 3 p.m., was given to the media by her at Palakkad.
Swapna, presently out on bail, grabbed the media headlines on Monday when she said she is giving a statement before a magistrate and after completing it on Tuesday she will meet the press.
And it was then that she said that Vijayan, his wife Kamala and their daughter Veena had smuggled currency and gold. This became fodder for the Congress and the BJP who started massive protests demanding the resignation of Vijayan.
In her bail petition filed before the Kerala High Court she had pointed out that one Shaj Kiran had approached her stating that he was close to Vijayan and CPI-M state secretary Balakrishnan and threatened her with dire consequences if she does not withdraw her statements. In lieu of that she should issue a fresh statement absolving Vijayan and his family.
But denying having ever said such a thing, Kiran told the media that he was a good friend of Swapna whom he came to know about 52 days ago.
On Thursday Swapna said she will release the conversation that she had with Kiran. In it Kiran is heard saying to her that he is someone who is not what she thinks.
Kiran is heard saying that he is close to both Vijayan and Balakrishnan and their funds go to the US through the Believers Church (a church headquartered in Thiruvalla in Pathanamthitta district) and that's why their FCRA license was cancelled.
Kiran is heard saying that she made a mistake by saying serious things to the media against Number 1 - who is Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan - and he is very angry especially as his daughter's name has been taken.
Kiran states that she should settle this issue by taking money.
Later she told the media that she taped the conversation and released it to tell the world what's happening in Kerala.