Wayanad: The Special Investigation Team on Sunday arrested Aneesh Mamballil (35), former Congress vice-president of Mullankolli panchayat, for planting 15 country bombs and five litres of smuggled liquor in the portico of local Congress leader Kannattumalayil Thankachan alias Augustin. Aneesh’s role came to light after the arrest of Puthanveetil Prasad, who revealed during interrogation that he had smuggled liquor from Bairakuppa, a border town in Karnataka, across the River Kabani, on Aneesh’s instructions. Aneesh also sourced the explosives himself.

Soon after Prasad’s arrest, Aneesh went into hiding, prompting police to issue a ‘look out’ notice. Station House Officer Biju Antony said Aneesh was taken into custody from a hideout in Kushal Nagar, Karnataka, on Saturday evening.

Aneesh will be produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court, Sulthan Bathery, by Sunday evening, the officer added. Sulthan Bathery DySP Abdul Shereef is the investigating officer in the case.

Thankanchan was arrested on August 22 after police raided his house based on a tip-off from an unidentified source. He had pleaded innocence but was remanded in judicial custody. Based on the police report, the court ordered Thankanchan’s release after 17 days in custody. His wife had petitioned senior police officials, including District Police Chief Taposh Basumatary, demanding a re-investigation and asserting her husband’s innocence. Thankanchan’s family alleged that the false case stemmed from a factional feud within the Congress unit at Mullankolli.

During the probe, another local Congress leader, Jose Nelledam (57), took his life after Thankachan accused him and a few others of conspiring to trap him in the case.