Published Sep 25, 2026 | 7:20 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 25, 2026 | 7:20 PM
The heat is on CM VD Satheesan after details of his charter flight to Malappuram emerged.
The controversy over the private funding of Chief Minister VD Satheesan’s chartered flight has reached the Kerala Lok Ayukta, with a complaint seeking an investigation into alleged corruption, abuse of official position and violation of the code of conduct for ministers.
The complaint, filed by KM Shajahan, centres on the ₹19.88 lakh expenditure allegedly borne by Chipsan Aviation Private Limited for the aircraft used by Satheesan during his official visit to Malappuram on September 21.
Under the previous arrangement, the government was paying Chipsan Aviation a fixed monthly charge of ₹80 lakh for 25 flying hours. After the agreement expired on September 19, the company submitted a fresh proposal for providing helicopter services on a pay-per-use basis. The Chief Minister had told the media that the government was discussing the possibility of cutting the rates down by 50% before signing a new agreement.
The complainant has alleged that this discussion placed Chipsan in a position of having a substantial commercial interest in a matter pending before the government headed by Satheesan, who also holds the Finance portfolio.
Satheesan, meanwhile, declined to comment on the controversy for the second consecutive day when questioned by the media. The CM told the reporters, “Move aside… I am not meeting you.”
According to the complaint, an aircraft belonging to Kelachandra Logistics Private Limited, owned by the family of Karnataka Energy Minister KJ George, was arranged through Chipsan Aviation for the Chief Minister’s Malappuram journey. The revelation generated big ripples as the Chief Minister had initially claimed that the chartered flight was arranged by a ‘personal friend/acquaintance’.
The subsequent disclosure that ₹19,88,595 was borne by Chipsan Aviation, the complainant argues, raises questions about the propriety of accepting such a benefit from a company seeking a government decision with commercial implications.
The petition seeks an inquiry into whether the payment constituted an “undue advantage” under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and whether there was any nexus between the benefit and the pending proposal of Chipsan Aviation.
It also asks the Lok Ayukta to examine whether the company made the payment with an expectation of securing favourable consideration of its proposal, and whether the Chief Minister was aware, or had reason to know, that Chipsan was bearing the cost of the journey.
The complaint invokes Sections 7 and 11 of the Prevention of Corruption Act and Sections 2(b) and 2(e) of the Kerala Lok Ayukta Act, 1999. It also seeks an examination of whether accepting a privately funded official journey violated the applicable Code of Conduct for Ministers.
Section 7 prohibits a public servant from accepting, obtaining, or agreeing to accept any undue advantage. Section 11 makes it an offence for a public servant to obtain an undue advantage without consideration from a person concerned in proceedings/business.
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(With inputs from Dileep V Kumar. Edited by R Rajesh Kumar.)
