Kochi, Jul 16 (PTI) An employee of the UAE consulate in Thiruvananthapuram, a key witness in the gold smuggling bid throughdiplomatic channel, has returned to his country, sources privy to the development said on Thursday. The foreign country's official, who enjoys immunity under the Vienna Convention, reached Delhi on Sunday and later took another flight to his destination in UAE, they said. Customs authorities at Thiruvananthapuram airport had on July 5 seized 30 kgs of gold from a diplomatic bag that was addressed to the UAE consulate in Kerala capital.

The gold was allegedly smuggled in a chartered flight. "This development has been noted," an officer, who is part of an agency investigating the case, told PTI on condition of anonymity when his attention was drawn to the consulate employee leaving the country. The officer, however, did not elaborate. The development comes as the Customs (Preventive) Commissionerate was waiting for permission from authorities concerned to get the "assistance" of the UAE consulate official in the ongoing investigation into the bid to smuggle the gold worth Rs 14.82 crore. Investigating agencies are of the view that the fresh development willhave "some impact" on the ongoing probe into the sensational case, which is also being looked into by the National Investigation Agency.

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The Centre had earlier said it was keeping the embassy of the UAE informed about the case and that the mission was extending all cooperation to the Customs authorities examining it.

The NIA has booked four people -- Sarith, Swapna Suresh (both former employees of the UAE consulate in Thiruvananthapuram), Sandeep Nair and Fareed under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

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Fareed is absconding while the other three have been arrested.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)