Police detains Pawan Khera at airport, says Cong

Congress leader Pawan Khera was detained by police on Thursday after being deplaned from a flight to Raipur in connection with his alleged remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the party said. Khera, against whom a case has been registered in Assam, was asked by the Delhi Police to deplane. Congress leaders sat on dharna at the tarmac in protest and did not allow him to be taken away without an arrest warrant.

Senior Delhi Police officials later handed over a document from Assam Police seeking their help in the detention of Khera.

Congress leader Randeep Surjewala accompanied Khera to a police station at the airport where there was a huge deployment of CISF. A case has been registered at Haflong police station in Assam against Khera under various sections of the IPC for his alleged remarks against the prime minister.

Earlier several party leaders got off the plane after Khera was deboarded and staged a dharna on the tarmac. Khera was on his way to Raipur for the Congress plenary.

As drama escalated at terminal one of the domestic airport here, flight staff told Congress leaders there was confusion with Khera’s bags. They said police was on its way and would explain the reason to him.

”We are all on the @IndiGo6E flight 6E 204 to Raipur and all of a sudden my colleague @Pawankhera has been asked to deplane,” Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate, who was also on the flight, said on Twitter. ”What sort of high-handedness is this? Is there any rule of law? On what grounds is this being done and under whose order?” she said. The flight was delayed.