IndiGo imposes flight ban on Jayarajan, YC men; Sabarinadhan to be quizzed

The IndiGo airlines has imposed a three-week flight ban on veteran CPM leader E P Jayarajan and a two-week ban on two Youth Congress activists over the protest against Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan onboard a plane last month.

Jayarajan had pushed away the two protesters who shouted slogans against the chief minister when the flight landed in Thiruvananthapuram on June 12.

The two Youth Congress activists — Furseen Majeed and R K Naveen — were arrested on June 14 and charged with attempt to murder. They were granted bail on June 23.

Majeed said he has been intimated about the ban from IndiGo while Jayarajan said he has not received any information.

Furseen said the truth has come out with the action against Jayarajan. The Congress has been critical of the government for not registering a case against the CPM leader for resorting to physical attack onboard the plane.

Summons for Sabarinadhan 

Meanwhile, in a related development, the police have decided to question Youth Congress state vice president and former MLA K S Sabarinadhan for allegedly plotting the in-flight protest.

The Sanghumukham assistant commissioner has issued a notice asking Sabarinadhan to be present before the investigation team on Tuesday. The police suspect that it was Sabarinadhan who directed the Youth Congress activists to stage the protest.

The police action comes even as screenshots of an alleged WhatsApp chat suggesting Sabarinadhan's involvement in the incident has been circulating on social media. Asked about the police summons, Sabarinadhan said he would cooperate with the probe. He said everybody has a right to protest in a peaceful manner.

CM Vijayan has been facing protests by the Congress and BJP workers ever since Swapna Suresh, a key accused in the gold smuggling through diplomatic channel, alleged that he and his family members had a role in some smuggling activities.

Her charges were termed baseless by the CM.