Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday categorically denied the reports of delaying an Air India flight and said that he would initiate criminal defamation proceedings in the matter.
"Enough is enough. Once I m back to India I will initiate proceedings of criminal defamation," Fadnavis said in a series of tweets.
"I reiterate, the reports of me delaying flight are misleading.
Infact when I'd already boarded how can I say I wont travel without delegation?
If at all any report has been submitted, states that I refused to travel without my delegation then it is a blatant lie
passengers sitting besides & behind me are witness that I was sitting quietly waiting for departure. Not even once I asked to offload me," he added.
As per reports, inconvenience was caused to passengers when an Air India flight to US was delayed by nearly an hour on June 29 after it was reported that Principal Secretary to Fadnavis, Pravin Pardeshi, travelling with him had not carried his passport with valid US visa.
The Prime Minister's Office has also sought a report from the Civil Aviation Ministry on the matter.
