KANNUR: Quotation, gold smuggling leader Akash Thillankeri was arrested under Kaapa. Akash, who is accused in the Youth Congress activist Shuhaib murder case, was arrested by Muzhakkunnu police. The action was taken after examining the criminal cases against him. The state government had earlier approached the court seeking cancellation of Akash's bail as he had violated the bail conditions in the Shuhaib murder case.

The party leadership in the district was on the defensive after Akash Thillankeri's revelation on Facebook that he had killed Shuhaib on the instructions of the CPM leaders in Kannur. Following this, several posts by Akash and his associates appeared on social media, fueling the controversy. In response to the allegations, the CPM leadership had brought P Jayarajan himself against Akash who was a supporter of P Jayarajan. A political briefing meeting held in Tillankeri town, attended by leaders including P Jayarajan, had repeatedly rejected Akash saying he was a quotation leader.