UDF government moves to drop aircraft charges in 2022 flight protest case against YC workers

In a major reversal in the flight protest case of 2022 involving former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, the prosecution under the new United Democratic Front (UDF) government has decided to move the Thiruvananthapuram District Court seeking withdrawal of Aircraft Act provisions against the Youth Congress activists accused in the incident.

The development marks a significant shift from the previous Left Democratic Front (LDF) government’s stand that the onboard protest posed a serious aviation security threat.

The incident unfolded aboard an IndiGo flight from Kannur to Thiruvananthapuram in June 2022. Two Youth Congress workers, Farzeen Majeed and R.K. Naveen Kumar, allegedly raised slogans against Mr. Vijayan. Former Minister E.P. Jayarajan, who accompanied the then Chief Minister, purportedly intervened by physically confronting them inside the aircraft cabin.

Following the incident, the LDF government had invoked stringent charges, including provisions linked to aviation security, conspiracy and attempted murder, after alleging that the protest endangered the Chief Minister and threatened flight safety.

The Valiyathura police registered a case based on a complaint by Mr. Jayarajan. The two activists and two others, Sudeep James and K.S. Sabarinadhan, were booked in the case.

The police had invoked various charges including 120B (conspiracy), 307 (attempt to murder), 34 (organised crime), in addition to provisions of the Aircraft Act.

However, the Centre refused to grant sanction for prosecution under the Aircraft Security framework. While this had prevented the LDF government’s efforts in filing the charge-sheet, the District Court recently came down heavily on the prosecution for the delay. Adverse observations had been made while the court considered a petition filed by Mr. Majeeb, who sought permission to renew his passport.