Kozhikode , 09 August (H.S.):

Police have arrested Ajay Ayanki, 24, brother of history-sheeter Arjun Ayanki, for allegedly assisting him while he was evading arrest and helping raise money for him through a social media crowdfunding campaign.

Ajay, a resident of Kovvaladi Ayanki House at Azhikode in Kannur district, was taken into custody from outside an online delivery company at East Nadakkavu in Kozhikode around 12.30 am on Sunday. The Nadakkavu police subsequently recorded his arrest.

The development came hours before Arjun Ayanki was arrested in Kannur in the early hours of Sunday, bringing to an end a police search that had extended across Kerala.

According to police, Ajay allegedly organised crowdfunding through social media to financially support Arjun while he remained underground. A QR code was circulated online to collect contributions, with the money being transferred to an account linked to Arjun. Police said the QR code used for the fundraising campaign was prepared by another of Arjun’s brothers, Arun Ayanki.

The FIR registered by Nadakkavu police said Ajay was detained as a preventive measure for allegedly assisting Arjun while he was absconding. Police also alleged that his actions amounted to challenging law enforcement and could send a wrong message to the public.

The arrest follows another development in Malappuram on Saturday, when a special police squad detained four people from Edappal for allegedly accompanying Arjun while he was on the run.

CCTV footage had surfaced showing Arjun at a cafe inside a private Ayurveda hospital at Edappal. He was reportedly accompanied by four people from Vattamkulam and remained at the cafe for nearly an hour.

The four were later detained and questioned. They reportedly told investigators that they had accompanied Arjun to Edappal and had food with him before he left the area and travelled towards Kannur.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman