Even as Keralam Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan remained reluctant to disclose the identity of the person who provided him with a free charter flight from Thiruvananthapuram to a calamity-hit area in Malappuram recently, it has come to light that an aviation firm seeking the renewal of its helicopter contract with the State government was allegedly involved in facilitating the Chief Minister’s free travel.
The aircraft used for the trip allegedly belongs to Kelachandra Aviation, a company owned by the family of K.J. George, a Congress leader and Minister in Karnataka.
An invoice submitted to Chipson, the aviation firm, has revealed that the total cost of the flight was ₹19,88,595. The amount includes an aircraft charge of ₹16,85,250 and 18% GST amounting to ₹3,03,345.
The aircraft flew from Jindal Airport near Ballari in Karnataka to Thiruvananthapuram, transported the Chief Minister to northern Keralam and back, and subsequently returned to its base.
Reports say that the aircraft was deployed for the Chief Minister’s tour for approximately nine hours.
Published – September 24, 2026 09:35 pm IST
