Amid the ongoing investigation in the controversial Karipur gold smuggling case, purported audio clips alleged to be that of a quotation gang trying to loot the gold smuggled into the state, have surfaced in the media. Notably, the audio clips, reveals that the gang has the alleged support of two convicts in the murder case of Revolutionary Marxist Party (RMP) leader TP Chandrasekharan and that they have the alleged support of a political party, which is not named.
In the audio clips aired by Mathrubhumi News’ CK Vijayan, the quotation gang member can be heard speaking reportedly to carrier who smuggle gold, trying to reassure him saying they have the alleged backing of ‘the party’ and Kodi Sunni and Mohammed Shafi, two convicts in the TP Chandrasekharan murder case. TP Chandrasekharan, a former CPI(M) leader in Onchiyam in Kozhikode, was killed in 2012 after he rebelled from the party and formed the RMP. CPI(M) leader and Panur area committee member PK Kunhanandan, is another convict in the case charged for criminal conspiracy and murder. Kunhanandan died last year.
In the audio clip on gold smuggling, a man can be heard saying, “In the airport, our team will come to take you. You just have to get into the vehicle. Either Shafikka, Rajeesh Thilankerri or Jijo Thilankerri, two of them will be together and a brother of mine, will be there. Why we are taking party people as one among the three is to make you safe. If the team starts an investigation, we’ll make Shafikka or Sunni annan call them asking to let it go as you are part of their team. It is to save you, they are given a part (of money).”
In another audio clip, the man can be heard saying to reassure the carrier, “In Kannur and Kozhikode, don’t you know who all from the party are in this? It is for that one-third of it is given to the party. It is to protect you..If the owner (of gold) comes behind you, from the party they will call, saying a mistake has happened and you are part of them. So there is no need to be worried. Many similar things have happened in the past four months,” In yet another audio clip, the person again mentions that the party will contact the owners (of the gold) if they come allegedly behind the carriers.
Watch the report of Mathrubhumi News:
The audio clip related to the gold smuggling comes at a time when CPI(M) is once again facing heat as few of the suspects in the Karipur gold smuggling case allegedly have had links with the party in the past. The Karipur gold smuggling pertains to the confiscation of 2,333 grams of gold by the Customs in Calicut International Airport on June 21. Similar to the modus operandi of the quotation gang members in the now surfaced audio clip, quotation teams had tried to loot the smuggled gold in the Karipur case, without knowing that the Customs seized the gold. However, it is not ascertained if the quotation gang in the purported audio is related to the Karipur gold smuggling case.
In the chase between the gangs, five persons were killed in a road accident on June 21. On Monday, Customs made the arrest of Arjun Ayanki, a Left social media ‘celeb’, alleging involvement in the case. It has also surfaced that the car used by Arjun Ayanki was arranged by Sajesh, a member of the CPI(M) Moiyaram branch committee in Kannur. CPI(M) has now suspended Sajesh for a year. Before Arjun Ayanki's arrest, audio clips said to be his has also surfaced in media, where it was heard saying that they have the support of 'party' members in Panur and Mahe.