After days on the run, Arjun Ayanki — a former political activist from Kerala turned central figure in a string of criminal cases — has finally been caught by police. He was arrested in Kannur in the early hours of Sunday after police tracked him to a flat where he had reportedly been hiding, according to local media reports. He was later produced before a magistrate and remanded in judicial custody for 14 days.
So who exactly is Ayanki, why were police after him, and what is he actually accused of? Ayanki hails from Azhikode in Kannur district. He started out in politics as a unit secretary for the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) — the youth wing of the CPI(M) — and built a following online as an outspoken party supporter, frequently going after political rivals in his posts.
That online presence eventually eclipsed everything else about his public image. DYFI later cut ties with him once allegations of criminal connections surfaced. CPI(M) leaders have since gone out of their way to distance the party from Ayanki and from what are sometimes called “quotation gangs” in Kerala.
Ayanki first drew serious public attention in 2021, when his name came up in connection with an alleged gold-smuggling network tied to Karipur airport. Investigators say gangs linked to this network went after people carrying smuggled gold once they’d landed in Kerala. Ayanki’s name also surfaced in the Ramanattukara case, in which five people were killed in a road accident while allegedly pursuing a vehicle linked to a gold-smuggling network.
He has also faced other cases involving alleged attacks or attempts to intercept people linked to smuggling networks, as well as separate cases registered by the Customs Department. None of these allegations have been proven in court.
The immediate trigger for the recent manhunt was a case involving alleged threats made against police officers on social media. Back in May, police picked up Ayanki and several associates during a pre-dawn raid on a resort in Kothamangalam, alleging the group had gathered there to plan criminal activity. He was released on bail shortly thereafter.
That is when things escalated. After his release, Ayanki allegedly took to social media to target the officers behind the Kothamangalam raid, including one post reportedly threatening the officer who led it, claiming he would not let him live in peace even after retirement. Police filed cases over the threats. Ayanki, meanwhile, kept posting — allegedly continuing to taunt police even while he was in hiding.
When Ayanki sought anticipatory bail in the threats case, the Kerala High Court turned him down. That is when the search for him really ramped up — police stepped up efforts to locate him and started digging into his social media accounts to figure out whether the posts were actually coming from him or someone posting on his behalf.
The trail eventually led to a flat in Kannur. According to police, an auto-rickshaw driver played an unlikely but crucial role; he grew suspicious of a passenger and tipped off police. Officers cross-checked CCTV footage, confirmed the man’s identity, and traced him to the flat. Ayanki was arrested at around 2 am on Sunday.
He was taken for a medical exam before being brought to the Kannur Cyber Police station, then produced before the Kuthuparamba magistrate, who ordered 14 days of judicial custody. He is expected to be moved to Thalassery sub-jail. Two associates, identified as Jithin and Subhash, were also arrested for allegedly helping Ayanki evade capture.
Over the years, Ayanki has been named in a string of cases, including alleged gold smuggling, criminal conspiracy, and assault. A Kerala High Court order in an earlier case even referenced his criminal history while weighing a bail plea. He was also remanded back in 2023 over the alleged assault of a female railway ticket examiner.
His more recent cases have mostly centered on his social media activity, specifically alleged threats against police and public officials. According to Manorama News, Ernakulam Rural Cyber Police registered a case over a Facebook post allegedly targeting former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, which police said was intended to defame him and provoke public hostility. Separately, Kannur Cyber Police registered a case over social media posts allegedly targeting Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala. As with the other cases, none of this has been established in court.
Any bail applications or further legal steps will be up to the courts to decide.
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For now, Ayanki remains an accused person.
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Source: Gulf News
