Kannur, 11 August (H.S.): Two days after former DYFI activist Arjun Ayanki was arrested following a police manhunt, a Thalassery court on Tuesday granted the Kannur police three days’ custody of him for further questioning and investigation.
Ayanki, who was arrested on Sunday, had subsequently been remanded to judicial custody and lodged in jail. The police moved the court seeking his custody for five days, arguing that detailed questioning was necessary in connection with the cases registered against him. The court, however, allowed investigators to take him into custody for three days.
The arrest came after an intensive search launched by the Kerala Police while Ayanki remained on the run following the rejection of his anticipatory bail plea by the Kerala High Court. The bail application was connected to a case registered over alleged threats made against the Kothamangalam Station House Officer.
While evading arrest, Ayanki allegedly posted provocative statements on social media challenging Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala, prompting further police action. The Kannur Cyber Police subsequently registered a separate case in connection with the posts.
Police eventually traced Ayanki after receiving information from an autorickshaw driver who had reportedly dropped him near his lawyer’s residence. The driver, suspecting that his passenger was the wanted accused, alerted the authorities.
Investigators then examined CCTV footage from the area and confirmed that the passenger was Ayanki. Police subsequently tracked him to the flat where he was staying and took him into custody.
During the three-day custody period, investigators are expected to question Ayanki about the circumstances surrounding the alleged threats, his movements while evading arrest and the social media posts that triggered the cyber police case.
Police are also expected to examine whether anyone assisted him while he remained on the run. At the end of the custody period, Ayanki will be produced before the court again.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman
