KOCHI: ED deputy director P Radhakrishnan, who investigated the 2020 diplomatic-channel gold smuggling case in which the then principal secretary to Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan was implicated, has been asked to go on premature retirement with five years of service remaining. Sources said Union govt issued the order a week ago with President’s approval. Radhakrishnan was ED‘s Kochi zonal deputy director when he moved Kerala high court against the Crime Branch investigation into gold smuggling accused Swapna Suresh’s allegation that ED and Customs were trying to drag Vijayan into the case. The court dismissed two Crime Branch cases that were based on an audio clip. Radhakrishnan was transferred to the Chennai zonal office in 2022 before returning to Kochi two years later. He was transferred to Srinagar, against which he unsuccessfully appealed in Central Administrative Tribunal. ED told the tribunal he was transferred pending inquiry into a complaint that he tried to harass, threaten and extort money.