Pulpalli (Wayanad): Kanattumalayil Thankachan alias Augustin, a local Congress leader from Marakkadavu, walked free on Sunday after spending 17 days in jail on charges of possessing illicit liquor and country bombs. Police admitted before the court that he was falsely implicated and sought his release.

Thankachan was arrested on August 22 after police recovered five litres of liquor and 15 country bombs from his car porch. The arrest, made based on a tip-off, is now suspected to have been part of a conspiracy linked to factional feuds within the Congress in Pulpalli.

Following a complaint by his family, Wayanad SP Taposh Basumatari initiated a re-investigation. This led to the arrest of Puthanveettil Prasad, 41, of Marakkadavu, on Saturday. According to the Police, Prasad was the one who smuggled liquor from Karnataka. His arrest now raised serious doubts about the credibility of the initial tip-off.

Sulthan Bathery DySP Abdul Shereef said the same team that carried out the raid later reinvestigated the case and confirmed Thankachan’s innocence. “We have already collected CCTV visuals and call data records to identify those behind the conspiracy. Action will be taken against everyone who framed him,” he said. He also admitted in court that seizing contraband from Thankachan’s premises had left police with little choice at the time but to arrest him.

On Saturday, police moved the First Class Magistrate Court in Sulthan Bathery seeking Thankachan’s release, and he was freed the next day. Investigators said Section 231 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (fabricating false evidence to cause conviction) will be added against the accused.

Meanwhile, Thankachan and his family have alleged that local Congress leaders framed him in the case. He claimed the conspiracy was orchestrated by a faction within the party led by DCC president N D Appachan, with whom he has long been at odds. Thankachan is a known supporter of IC Balakrishnan MLA, a rival of the Appachan camp.

According to Thankachan, a DCC secretary from Pulppalli, who is also an advocate, played a key role in the plot. “There is a criminal mind of an advocate behind the entire episode. He wanted me jailed because we had exposed his financial links with the granite mafia,” Thankachan said.

His wife Sini also alleged that senior leaders of the rival faction were aware of the conspiracy. The family believes his arrest was politically motivated, pointing to recent infighting in the party. A district-level meeting had ended in clashes after Appachan was allegedly manhandled, and Thankachan’s sharp criticism of the leadership in a Congress WhatsApp group reportedly made him a target. His mother, Mary, added that members of the rival camp had even threatened him after the incident.

Thankachan, however, expressed gratitude to Inspector Biju Antony for reopening the investigation, which proved his innocence. He said the police treated him fairly and did not harass him, though they initially dismissed his claims because the seized items were found at his home.