In a significant development, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday (October 14) revealed the links between India’s most-wanted man Dawood Ibrahim and Kerala gold smuggling case.

The NIA made references to Dawood while opposing the bail plea of an accused, identified as Ramees, in the Kerala gold smuggling case. According to the NIA, the members of Dawood Ibrahim gang may have harboured Ramees in Africa.

The NIA informed the court that during interrogation Ramees confessed about his attempts to set up a diamond business in Tanzania. The NIA added that Ramees also tried to obtain a gold mining license in Tanzania and brought gold from there. Ramees later sold the gold which he had bought from Tanzania.

“Recent news reports have also specifically mentioned the diamond business of Dawood Ibrahim in Tanzania, managed to by his associate Feroz, considered to be a south Indian by the agencies,” the NIA said

The central probe agency said that the data retrieved from the mobile phone of one more accused in Kerala gold smuggling case had revealed that he had travelled to Africa along with Ramees.

It may be recalled that Ramees was apprehended in November 2019 by Customs at the Cochin International Airport. He was named as main accused in a case registered against him for importing firearms without a valid licence.

On October 7, the Enforcement Directorate had filed a prosecution complaint under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA) against three people before the District & Sessions Court (PMLA) Ernakulam in the Kerala gold smuggling case through the diplomatic channel.