A day after the Customs Commissionerate in Kochi filed a report with a special court in Ernakulam on the Karipur gold smuggling case, alleging that Kannur native Arjun Ayanki is involved in the case, the youth wing of CPI(M) has denied any ties with him. Arjun Ayanki is a left cyber ‘celeb’ with over 40,000 followers in Facebook. Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) officials on Tuesday asked their supporters to stay away from such social media celebrities, who ‘fake ties’ with the party. The Customs department has summoned Arjun Ayanki for interrogation in the case.
On June 21, Customs seized 2,332 grams of gold from a Malappuram native named Mohammed Shafeeque Melethil from the Calicut International Airport in Karipur. The case garnered more attention after it surfaced that the five youth who died in a road accident in Kozhikode’s Ramanattukara on the same day, were connected with the gold smuggling. It has surfaced that the youth who met with the accident were allegedly members of a gold smuggling racket. The accident reportedly happened while the gang was chasing another rival smuggling gang, thinking they were in possession of the gold brought by Mohammed Shafeeque, unaware that he was arrested by the Customs. Arjun Ayanki is alleged to have links with one of the rackets.
In the report filed by the Customs to the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (Economic Offences) in Ernakulam, seeking custody of the arrested accused Mohammed Shafeeque, the investigation agency has stated that Arjun had links with Mohammed Shafeeque. In his statement given to Customs, Shafeeque has said that Arjun had been waiting for him outside the airport.
“He (Mohammed Shafeeque) also stated that he was connected to the above Saleem (through him allegedly Shafeeque got gold) through one Muhammed who was connected to him by one person named Arjun. He was directed to hand over the trolley bag containing the gold to the person contacting him outside the Calicut Airport. Later, Arjun told him to change the shirt which was worn by the said passenger on reaching Calicut International Airport and Arjun would be waiting for the passenger outside the arrival area of the Calicut Airport,” Customs state in its report.
Taking to Facebook, DYFI’s Kannur district Secretary M Shajr, said, “Though they do not have any relation with movements in the place where they live, by cheating those outside (the place), they have become ‘leaders’. ‘Warrior lions’ will be on Facebook throughout the morning and at night when everyone sleeps, they do smuggling.”
Shajir also stated that scores of people on social media outside Kannur have secured a place in the fans list of such people. “Hope those who ‘like’ and express wishes for the smugglers, will rectify themselves. As you think, such people do not have any connection with the party,” Shajir added in his post.
However, reports have stated that Arjun was previously a member of the DYFI. Reacting to the allegations, Arjun recently took to Facebook saying that he has no ties with CPI(M) or DYFI over the past three years. “I’m interestingly observing the half truths aired by the media. Show patience till I am summoned before investigating officers,” he added in the post.
Meanwhile, DYFI state secretary AA Rahim has said that DYFI does not have any ties with Arjun. Reading out a statement put out by Kannur DYFI in February this year, Rahim said that DYFI has already come out against those involved in the drug mafia, smuggling and quotation groups.
Meanwhile, voice clips alleged to be Arjun Ayanki’s were aired by Malayalam news channels recently. In the purported audio clips, a man's voice, alleged to be Arjun's, can be heard giving instructions to the ‘carriers’. In one of the audio clips, the man alleged to be Arjun can also be heard saying that he has ‘support of party workers in Mahe and Panur’.
Watch Asianet News report of surfaced audio clips: