From Media to PR to Real Estate… Who is Shaj Kiran? | Thiruvananthapuram

Thiruvananthapuram: Since the recent controversy erupted over the gold smuggling case, Shaj Kiran has been in the headlines.

The defendant in the Swapna Suresh gold smuggling case had alleged that M. Sivasankar, who was a co-defendant in the case, introduced her to Shaj Kiran, saying he was affiliated with the Believers Church. She also claimed that Shaj told her that he was the director of the church.

Shaj joined the church in 2014 as a media worker. Shaj’s wife later worked in the technical department of the Church Hospital for six months. Aside from that, the church stated that it had no other connection to him. His wife had left the institution on her own some time ago.

Former journalist

Shaj was a journalist, later ran a PR agency and then became a real estate agent. Now, as Swapna Suresh claims, he is the “Prime Minister’s Messenger”. But who exactly is he? Shaj’s birthplace is Kottarakkara. At first he lived in his mother’s house. But he hasn’t had any contact with his home country for four or five years. His father had retired as Under Secretary in the Secretariat. Shaj graduated from Mar Ivanios College, Thiruvananthapuram and secured a PG in Journalism from MG University campus, Kottayam. He came in 2009 as a reporter for Indiavision channel in Thiruvananthapuram. From Indiavision he moved to JaiHind TV, later to Asianet and was back with JaiHind. Towards the end of his journalistic career, he worked for the Mangalam Channel.

After retiring from the media in 2016, he switched to the PR industry. His goal was to be the PR of financially well-off celebrities. For a long time he was associated with a political leader in Alappuzha. Then he threw himself into the real estate industry and met some dubious businessmen.

Political connections?

Shaj did not belong to any political party during his studies and journalistic career. However, he later met leaders of various political parties in Kerala. He shared pictures on social media to portray these acquaintances as close friendships.

Shaj was part of the team tasked with inviting Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Ernakulam Press Club’s anniversary celebrations and met him. He used this photo to foster friendships within the BJP. He claimed he was close to top politicians and movie stars and, according to his friends, had boasted about it. He showed pictures with them as proof of this.

Shaj posted a photo of Swapna Suresh on Facebook last February 4th and said: “My hero is Swapna Suresh. Sivashankar, you are done. Not gold smuggling, the goal was the assignment in the life mission. The truth should come out.”

At this point, however, many more mysteries surrounding him remain to be revealed.