The Thiruvananthapuram District Principal Sessions Court expressed strong disapproval over the prolonged delay in filing the chargesheet for a case involving a protest and an alleged attempt to assassinate Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The court questioned why, even after three years, the chargesheet had not been submitted. Prosecution cited the lack of Union government sanction, required due to civil aviation law provisions, as the reason for the delay.
The court found the explanation unsatisfactory, particularly given the seriousness of the case involving the Chief Minister. These remarks were made during a hearing on a petition by the first accused, Farzin Majeed, who sought permission to renew his passport. The incident in question occurred on June 13, 2022, when Youth Congress workers protested against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan during a flight from Kannur to Thiruvananthapuram.
The protest on the aircraft sparked a significant political controversy, leading to the filing of severe criminal charges. Four Congress workers, including Congress State Vice-President Sabarinath, Farzin Majeed, Naveen Kumar, and Sunith, are accused in the case. They are alleged to have tried to assassinate the Chief Minister on the flight, facing charges such as attempt to murder, criminal conspiracy, and criminal intimidation.
The chargesheet, submitted in April 2024, is pending approval from the Union government, keeping the case at a preliminary stage. The incident also involved CPI(M) leader E.P. Jayarajan, who reportedly had a scuffle with the protesters during the flight. Subsequently, the airline imposed a three-week flying ban on Jayarajan, who initially vowed not to fly IndiGo again but later did so in 2024 to attend a funeral. Counter-complaints led to separate cases against Jayarajan, the Chief Minister’s gunman Anil Kumar, and staff member Suneesh.
