Pawan Khera stopped from boarding flight at Delhi airport, Congress alleges 'dictatorship'

Congress leaders stage a protest dharna at the IGI Airport after the party leader Pawan Khera was allegedly deboarded from the plane owing to an FIR against him. Pic/PTI

Congress leader Pawan Khera was stopped from boarding a plane at Delhi airport after a request was received from the Assam Police to stop him," Delhi Police said on Thursday.

The Congress leaders protested after Khera was stopped by Delhi Police from boarding the plane at the airport.

In a video shared on Congress's Twitter handle, Pawan Khera said that he does not know why was he deboarded.

"I don't know. I was told that your baggage has to be checked. I said I do not have any luggage except a handbag. When I came down, I was told that I cannot go, a DCP would come. We are waiting for the DCP for the last 20 minutes. I don't know why am I being stopped," he said.

Congress leader Supriya Shrinate alleged that the Congress leaders were en route to Chhattisgarh's Raipur to attend the party's 85th Plenary Session when Khera was asked to deboard. She accused the BJP government of "dictatorship".

"We were going from Delhi to Raipur by Indigo flight 6E-204. Pawan Khera, KC Venugopal, Randeep Surjewala was also with us. We were heading to Raipur for the Congress Plenary Session. Pawar Khera was taken away stating that his bag has been exchanged but he was not carrying check-in baggage. He was then told that he had been deplaned and a DSP of CISF would come and serve him notice. If this is not a dictatorship, then what is it? Would you stop people from boarding the flight? The dictator got ED raids done before the session and now the government has come down to this kind of act," she said in a video tweeted by the Congress party.

She further asked the sections under which action was being taken against Khera and said that they would not board the flight to Raipur until the Congress leader is allowed to board along with others.

"What wrong has he done that this action is being taken? The action is being taken under which sections, they will have to tell. We will keep standing here until the flight departs along with all of us including Pawan Khera," she said.

KC Venugopal who was also accompanying the group, tweeted, "Modi govt is acting like a bunch of goons by deplaning @Pawankhera ji from the Delhi-Raipur flight and preventing him from joining the AICC Plenary. Using a flimsy FIR to restrict his movement & silence him is a shameful, unacceptable act. The entire party stands with Pawan ji."

Also Read: ED questions CM Arvind Kejriwal's PA in excise policy money laundering case

"Today we were going for the Congress Plenary Sessoin to Raipur, and our colleague Pawan Khera was told that he left his luggage but he was not carrying any luggage. Then the Police came and said Assam Police has registered an FIR," Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala said.

"We asked them to show an arrest warrant but they did not show any order. It is completely illegal Assam and Delhi Police have stopped our flight forcefully," Surjewala added.

Meanwhile, sources said that the CISF has deployed the force to handle the situation.

"As per rules, airport police including DCP is also on the spot to legally take control for the arrest of Pawan Khera as desired by Assam Police and Assam police is also at the airport," sources said.

Meanwhile, Indigo Airlines issued a statement, saying that a passenger was deplaned and the flight has been delayed.

"A passenger was deplaned by the police at the Delhi airport from Raipur-bound flight 6E 204. Some other passengers have also decided to deboard on their own accord. We are following the advice of the concerned authorities. The flight is delayed as of now and we regret the inconvenience caused to other passengers," Indigo said.

However, there is no impact on others flight movements at Delhi airport.

Further details into the matter are awaited.

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever