In a breakthrough in the Kerala gold smuggling case, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday (9 June) said that it has arrested one of the key conspirator fugitive Muhammad Mansoor P H after his return from the UAE.

The NIA in a statement said that it arrested Mansoor, a resident of Kerala's Kozhikode district, following his arrival at Calicut International Airport from Dubai.

The case pertains to the seizure of 30 kg gold worth Rs 14.82 crore on 5 July last year at Air Cargo complex of the Trivandrum International Airport by the Customs department from the baggage addressed to the Charge D' Affairs of the UAE Consulate, Thiruvananthapuram.

The NIA had registered a case on 10 July last year and began the investigation. The anti-terror probe agency had also filed charge sheet against 20 accused persons on 4 January this year.

The agency said that investigation into the case revealed that Mansoor, while being in UAE, had conspired with the charge sheeted accused Mohammed Shafi P and others to facilitate smuggling of gold to India, through import cargo addressed to diplomats at the UAE Consulate in Thiruvananthapuram.

The NIA Special Court at Ernakulam had issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against Mansoor.

The agency further said that Mansoor was produced before NIA Special Court at Kochi and sent to five days NIA custody.