New Delhi: A case has been registered against Congress leader Ajay Rai at Phulpur Police Station in Varanasi for allegedly making a false statement that the airport authorities denied permission for Rahul Gandhi's plane to land here early this week, police said on Saturday, reported PTI.
The agency reported that the case has been registered on the basis of a statement of Babatpur Airport working director Ajay Pathak.
Pathak in his statement said that there was information regarding the arrival of Rahul Gandhi's plane on Tuesday but later the Air Traffic Controller of Kinnaur received a message that the plane will be going straight to Delhi returning from Kannur in Kerala.
Ajay Rai who visited the airport that day alleged that the Varanasi airport authorities denied landing permission to Rahul Gandhi's plane "at the last minute" due to which he had to go to Delhi. Rai said that the Congress MP was coming here to attend a programme at Kamla Nehru Hospital in Prayagraj.
Reacting to the development, Rai said, "I am not afraid of registration of cases... it is needed to unmask the BJP government."
He also claimed that the case has been lodged against him "under the pressure of the administration under the BJP government." He added that earlier too, cases were registered due to "pressure" from the BJP-led central government.
Notably, Ajay Rai started his political innings with the BJP and served as MLA from Varanasi five times. He moved to Congress in 2012.
He lost the Varanasi Lok Sabha polls in 2014 against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Earlier. Congress claimed that Rahul Gandhi’s plane was denied permission to land at Varanasi airport. However, the airport authorities denied the charge, reported news agency PTI.
Senior Congress leader Ajay Rai said that Gandhi’s plane was scheduled to land at Varanasi’s Babat airport on his return from constituency, Wayanad in Kerala.
Rai and other party leaders were at the airport to receive the Congress leader, but his plane was not allowed to land “at the last minute,” he said. Gandhi then returned to the national capital.
The officials at the Varanasi Airport, however, denied the charge.
Quoting Varanasi airport director Aryama Sanyal, the report stated that there was no prior information about Gandhi's arrival.
The director denied the allegation that they had refused permission for Gandhi's plane to land. The air traffic controller was told that the plan to land the plane at the airport has been cancelled, Sanyal added.