Kozhikode Gold Smuggling: Prime accused Arjun Ayanki arrested

Kochi: The Headquarters Preventive Unit of the Customs Department in Kochi arrested Arjun Ayanki, the prime accused in the foiled gold smuggling attempt at the Calicut International airport in Karipur.

Arjun is reported to have been surrendered before the Customs office in Kochi on June 28. According to the Customs, Arjun has links with a gold smuggling gang, allegedly in connection with the gold seized from the Karipur airport on June 21.

The arrested Arjun was reportedly an active worker of the ruling CPI-M party. Soon after his name floated in news in connection with the smuggling case, he clarified that the party has no links with the smuggling and the party should not be dragged into the case for his personal act.

He stated that he had kept no ties either with the CPI (M) or with the DYFI over the past three years. However, Arjun, with over 40,000 followers, seemed a defender of the party on Facebook. The Kannur police have taken the car used by Arjun into custody. The car, which is suspected to have used for the smuggling of gold, was allegedly arranged by Sajesh, a member of the CPI (M) Moiyaram branch committee in Kannur.

The DYFI had expelled Sajesh after his name was linked to the smuggling case

The reports said that the Customs suspects the involvement of more than 30 people belonging to different gangs in the cases connected to the smuggling case. Five people, who were killed in an accident while overtaking a truck, are believed to have been connected to the gang that was reportedly reached the airport with the plan to kidnap the carrier along with the gold.

On the day when the gold was seized, the Customs arrested Shafeeque, one of the accused in the case. Shafeeque has been in the Custom custody after being remanded by the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate in Kochi.