Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 3 (IANS) The Thiruvananthapuram District Principal Sessions Court on Tuesday sharply criticised the delay in filing the chargesheet in the case relating to a protest and the alleged attempt to assassinate Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan during a flight.
The court asked why the chargesheet had not been submitted even three years after the incident.
The prosecution informed the court that the delay was due to the absence of sanction from the Union government. Central approval became mandatory after provisions of the civil aviation law were invoked.
The court said the explanation was not satisfactory and expressed concern over the prolonged delay in a serious case involving the Chief Minister.
The observations were made while the court was considering a petition filed by the first accused, Farzin Majeed, seeking permission to renew his passport.
The case arises from an incident on June 13, 2022, when Youth Congress workers protested against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan during a flight from Kannur to Thiruvananthapuram.
The protest inside the aircraft triggered a major political controversy and led to the registration of grave criminal charges.
Four Congress workers are accused in the case.
They are Congress State Vice-President and former MLA Sabarinath, Farzin Majeed, Naveen Kumar and Sunith.
The allegation is that they attempted to assassinate the Chief Minister inside the aircraft.
They have been booked under charges including attempt to murder, attempt to commit culpable homicide not amounting to murder, criminal conspiracy and criminal intimidation.
The chargesheet was forwarded to the Union government in April 2024 seeking sanction.
Approval has not been granted so far, resulting in the case remaining at a preliminary stage.
The incident also had an immediate fallout as CPI(M) leader E.P. Jayarajan, who was travelling on the same flight, was reportedly involved in an alleged scuffle with the protesters.
Following the episode, the airline imposed a three-week flying ban on him.
Angered by the decision, Jayarajan publicly declared that he would never again fly by IndiGo.
However, the ban and the vow did not last. In 2024, Jayarajan travelled by an IndiGo flight to ensure he reached on time to attend the funeral of CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury, breaking his earlier vow.
The case also saw counter-complaints.
Based on petitions filed by accused Youth Congress workers, separate cases were registered against Jayarajan, the Chief Minister’s gunman Anil Kumar and personal staff member Suneesh, following directions from the Thiruvananthapuram Judicial First Class Magistrate Court.
–IANS
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