KANNUR: Several audio clips linking former DYFI member Arjun Ayanki, 24, of Kappakkadavu near Azheekkal, suspected to be the key man in the bid to smuggle 2.33kg of gold through Karipur airport, and quotation and smuggling gangs surfaced in the media on Friday, putting the CPM in a spot. Arjun has been actively supporting CPM in his Facebook posts and has 55,000 followers. And the car he allegedly used belongs to DYFI Chembilode area secretary Sajesh.
The attempt to smuggle gold in a coffee maker was foiled after the customs sleuths detained carrier Muammed Shafeeque of Moorkkanad in Malappuram after he arrived from Dubai at the airport. The subsequent vehicle chase by at least two gangs ended with a lorry-SUV collision that claimed five lives in Ramanattukara on Tuesday.
In the audio clips suspected to be of Arjun leaked from a WhatsApp group on Friday, he is heard threatening another member of the quotation gang for playing foul. He threatens the other person that he would be dealt with soon for getting away with the gold. “You don’t have to say anything. Whatever you say, we have decided to deal with you. Even if you pay `1 crore, we have decided on what we have to do with you. The party workers of Panur and Mahe are with us. Nobody would be there to save you,” he said.
Apart from this, audio clips of a member of the gang too got leaked in which a person is heard giving instructions to a person named Sakkeer. The role of Arjun becomes clear from these audio clips. “Sakkeerikka, say ‘Ok’ to Nazeer. Whoever asks you, say that you’re ready to give the gold. When you enter the airport, call Fazal. He should hand over the stuff. You must send that to Kannur the same day or the day after. Everything is ready there. You should answer the call when I or Arjun call. After receiving the stuff from Fazal, you should inform it to Arjun Ayanki or me,” the man says in the clips.
Meanwhile, the police have failed to trace the car in which Arjun came to Karipur on Friday too. Arjun’s friends had removed the red car from the area in Azhikode before the customs and police reached the spot on Thursday. Though the police checked the CCTV footage from the area, they couldn’t get any clue. The police said DYFI Chembilode mekhala secretary Sajesh is the owner of the car. Sajesh told the police that Arjun had asked him to give his car for personal use. Not knowing Arjun’0 intention, he gave the car to him, Sajesh said.
Meanwhile, the customs issued a notice to Arjun asking him to be present at the Customs Preventive Office in Kochi on June 28. Some of Arjun’s friends are also under the surveillance of customs sleuths who suspect the involvement of a big gang behind the smuggling attempt.
The customs has already accessed WhatsApp chats between Shafeeque and Arjun, who has absconded. It is based on this evidence that Arjun has been asked to come to the customs office for interrogation. The notice was served when the customs sleuths raided his house on Wednesday. Customs sources said there are enough pieces of evidence linking Shafeek and Arjun.