Kochi, Aug 7
Absconding history-sheeter Arjun A, alias Arjun Ayanki, has sparked a fresh controversy by publicly challenging Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala to order a reinvestigation into a criminal case in which he and his associates were arrested and jailed.
In a Facebook post, the 26-year-old alleged that police had fabricated the case against him and demanded a fresh investigation. Ayanki said that if the probe established his innocence, Chennithala should initiate action against Circle Inspector Prashanth for allegedly abusing his authority and foisting a false case.
Ayanki further said that if the minister acted against the officer following such an inquiry, he would personally meet Chennithala, honour him with a ceremonial shawl and even “give him a kiss”. He also warned the Home Minister against attempting to intimidate him.
The provocative remarks came hours after Chennithala referred to Ayanki while answering questions about the ongoing police crackdown on habitual offenders. The minister said the police were taking stringent action against goons and warned those challenging the force to “wait and see what’s coming next”.
Meanwhile, Oonnukal police in Ernakulam have registered a fresh case against Ayanki for allegedly sending threatening and abusive voice messages to Inspector Adarsh B S. He has been booked on charges including criminal intimidation and the use of obscene or abusive language.
Ayanki’s confrontation with the Ernakulam Rural Police began on May 3, when officers conducted a pre-dawn raid at a resort near Punnekkad in Kothamangalam as part of Operation Steel Bird, a drive targeting habitual offenders ahead of the Assembly elections.
Ayanki and five associates were arrested on organised crime-related charges, with police alleging that they had gathered to plan criminal activities. He spent 21 days in custody before obtaining conditional bail.
After his release, Ayanki repeatedly attacked police officers through social media, accusing them of framing him in false cases. Police have also alleged that threatening and sexually explicit messages were sent to women belonging to an officer’s family.
