KANNUR: The Pariyaram police spotted the red car reportedly used by Arjun Ayanki, a suspect in the Kozhikode airport gold smuggling attempt case, from a bushy area atop a hill at Kulappuram near Taliparamba on Sunday evening.
Its number plate was found removed. Earlier, customs officials had got evidence from the CCTV visuals that Arjun had reached the airport in this car owned by C Sajesh of Koyyode, a member of the CPM Moyyaram branch committee.
Arjun had absconded after the customs and police started investigating his involvement in the gold smuggling attempt at the airport. On Wednesday, the same car was found hidden at a ship breaking centre at Azhikode.
Though local residents informed the police about it on Wednesday itself, none reached the spot. By the time the police and customs officers reached the area on Thursday, one of Arjun’s friends had removed the car from the spot.
Following widespread criticism against the police's alleged lackadaisical approach in the case, the department intensified the search and took the car to the Pariyaram police station. The Pariyaram police said the car would be handed over to the customs department after completing legal formalities.