EP Jayarajan gets fresh court jolt in IndiGo assault case, re-investigation ordered
Synopsis
A Thiruvananthapuram court has rejected the police clean chit given to CPI-M veteran E.P. Jayarajan in the 2022 IndiGo flight assault case, ordering a full re-investigation. The ruling revives a politically charged case that had seemed buried — and puts one of Kerala's most powerful Left leaders back in the legal crosshairs.
Key Takeaways
A Thiruvananthapuram Judicial First Class Magistrate court on Tuesday rejected the police report that had given E.P.
Jayarajan a clean chit.
The court ordered a fresh probe into allegations that Jayarajan assaulted Youth Congress activists on an IndiGo flight on 14 June 2022 .
Both Jayarajan and Anilkumar , the then CM's gunman, are named in the complaint and must be re-examined.
IndiGo had earlier imposed a three-week travel ban on Jayarajan and a two-week ban on the protesting activists.
Jayarajan had publicly called IndiGo a 'substandard company' before later flying with the airline to attend Sitaram Yechury's last rites in New Delhi .
The re-investigation will run alongside the existing case against Youth Congress activists over the in-flight protest.
A Thiruvananthapuram court on Tuesday rejected the police clean-chit report in the IndiGo flight assault case involving senior Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader E.P. Jayarajan, ordering a fresh investigation into allegations that he assaulted Youth Congress activists aboard a commercial flight in June 2022. The ruling marks a significant legal setback for one of CPI-M's most prominent figures.
What the Court Ordered
The Judicial First Class Magistrate court in Thiruvananthapuram refused to accept the earlier police conclusion that there was insufficient basis to register a case against Jayarajan. The court directed police to conduct a fresh probe, re-record statements, and re-examine the roles of both Jayarajan and Anilkumar, who served as the gunman of then Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. A new report must be submitted after this re-examination.
The Incident That Triggered the Case
The controversy traces back to 14 June 2022, when an IndiGo flight travelling from Kannur to Thiruvananthapuram became the site of a political confrontation. Youth Congress activists allegedly raised slogans against then Chief Minister Vijayan mid-flight. Following the incident, Youth Congress leaders — including Farzeen Majeed — filed a complaint alleging they were physically attacked inside the aircraft by Jayarajan and others. The Valiyathura police, which handled the initial probe, had earlier submitted a report finding no sufficient grounds to proceed against Jayarajan. The court has now overturned that finding.
The Airline's Role and Jayarajan's Response
IndiGo's internal inquiry committee had imposed a three-week travel ban on Jayarajan and a two-week ban on the protesting activists following its own review of the incident. Jayarajan, who was serving as the Left Democratic Front (LDF) Convenor at the time, sharply criticised the airline's decision, arguing he had intervened on security grounds. He publicly called IndiGo a 'substandard company' and declared he would boycott the carrier. However, he later flew with IndiGo to attend the last rites of then CPI-M General Secretary Sitaram Yechury in New Delhi, effectively ending his self-imposed boycott.
Political and Legal Implications
The fresh court order revives a case that had appeared to be heading toward closure, putting Jayarajan — one of CPI-M's most senior leaders — under renewed legal scrutiny. The re-investigation will proceed alongside the existing case against the Youth Congress activists over their in-flight protest. Notably, this is the second time the case has resurfaced as a political flashpoint, having previously drawn national attention over the airline ban and Jayarajan's public statements. The outcome of the fresh probe could carry both legal consequences and political weight for the CPI-M ahead of future electoral cycles in Kerala.
Point of View
The timing is uncomfortable: Jayarajan remains a central organisational figure in Kerala, and a prolonged re-investigation keeps the party's internal discipline record under an unflattering light. The case also underscores a broader pattern in Kerala politics where in-flight and public-space confrontations between ruling-party figures and opposition activists have repeatedly tested the impartiality of state police investigations.
NationPress
1 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the EP Jayarajan IndiGo flight assault case?
The case stems from a 14 June 2022 incident aboard an IndiGo flight from Kannur to Thiruvananthapuram, where Youth Congress activists allegedly raised slogans against then Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Youth Congress leaders, including Farzeen Majeed, subsequently complained that CPI-M leader E.P. Jayarajan and others physically assaulted them inside the aircraft.
Why did the Thiruvananthapuram court order a re-investigation?
The Judicial First Class Magistrate court rejected the Valiyathura police report that had found insufficient grounds to register a case against Jayarajan, ruling that the matter requires further examination. The court held that the case could not be closed at this stage and directed police to re-record statements and re-examine all named accused.
Who else is named in the complaint besides Jayarajan?
Anilkumar, who served as the gunman of then Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan at the time of the incident, is also named in the complaint and has been directed to be re-examined as part of the fresh investigation.
What action did IndiGo take after the 2022 incident?
IndiGo's internal inquiry committee imposed a three-week travel ban on Jayarajan and a two-week ban on the protesting Youth Congress activists. Jayarajan publicly criticised the decision and declared a personal boycott of the airline, though he later flew IndiGo to attend the last rites of CPI-M General Secretary Sitaram Yechury in New Delhi.
What happens next in the case?
The Valiyathura police must now conduct a fresh investigation, re-record statements, and submit a new report to the court after examining the roles of all persons named in the complaint. This re-investigation will proceed simultaneously with the existing case against the Youth Congress activists over their in-flight protest.
