Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 1 (IANS): Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan on Tuesday expressed concern about the gold smuggling in the Malappuram district, saying that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's statement is a 'serious issue'.

“The gold smuggling and seizure of Hawala money in the Malappuram district is a serious issue. I would like to know what has been done by the state government in stopping the smuggling in the district,” the Governor told media persons.

Congress has also criticised the Chief Minister over the issue.

Notable, Left MLA P.V. Anvar has alleged that a gold smuggling gang has the blessings of Chief Minister’s Political Secretary P. Sasi and ADGP (law and order) M.R. Ajith Kumar. “Both of them are very active in the gold smuggling and no action has been taken against both the officials,” Anvar said.

Anvar also wrote a letter to CPI-M State Secretary M.V. Govindan highlighting the role of Sasi in indulging in “nefarious” activities.

Earlier, the Chief Minister, during an interview, allegedly said that 150 kg of gold and hawala money worth Rs 123 crore were seized by the police in the last five years from Malappuram district.

“This money is entering Kerala through anti-national activities,” said the Chief Minister in the interview.

However, on Tuesday, the Chief Minister’s Office also wrote to the news media outlet asking for clarification of the Chief Minister’s comments regarding the gold smuggling in the Malappuram district.

The news media outlet in a rejoinder said that there was a PR agency who fixed the appointment with the Chief Minister and there were two people and one of them later had asked them to include this also.