SC asks Dubai-based Indian to approach embassy over travel ban
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Monday declined to grant relief to a Dubai-based Indian national who alleged harassment by local authorities there, claiming he had been wrongfully subjected to a travel ban.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi heard petitioner Asif Azad, an engineer who appeared through video conferencing from a Dubai mall, and directed him to approach the Indian Embassy in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for assistance.
Azad, a permanent resident of Kerala, alleged that he was entrapped and implicated by some drug mafia and was facing a travel ban in Dubai due to a case against him in the southern state.
“We have heard the petitioner in person. We are not inclined to accept the story as stated here. Let him approach the embassy,” the bench ordered.
When Azad alleged that certain MLAs of Kerala are "against him", the CJI quipped that he should "take advantage of the changed regime".
During the proceedings, the petitioner was asked about his location, to which he responded that he was appearing in person via video conferencing from a shopping mall in Dubai.
Upon learning this, the CJI asked how far the Indian Embassy was from his current location.
When Azad replied that it was approximately 20 kilometres away, the CJI remarked, "So go to the Indian Embassy. There is public transport available."
The petitioner said that he may be caught if he goes to the embassy and alleged that a "drug mafia" had orchestrated a conspiracy against him, involving the forgery of cheques, which resulted in the Dubai courts imposing a travel ban on him.
"I am being called an illegal immigrant. They kicked me at night; the CCTV has evidence of it. Please restore my Article 21 rights," Azad said.
Azad said the investigations in the case against him in Kerala were one-sided and that no progress had been made in the probe for 41 days.
He alleged that certain MLAs of Kerala are also against him. The CJI referred to current political changes taking place in Kerala and said, "Now some change is happening as you can see on TV. So, take advantage of the changed regime".
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Kerala polls: ‘People rejected 10 years of misrule’, says AICC gen secy
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal on Monday said the Congress-led UDF’s sweeping victory in the Kerala Assembly polls was a clear verdict against the “arrogance”, corruption, and nepotism of the CPI(M)-led LDF government headed by CM Pinarayi Vijayan.
Addressing a press conference as counting of votes for all 140 Assembly constituencies neared completion, Venugopal said the outcome reflected public anger against what he termed “10 years of misrule” by the Left government.
He claimed that Vijayan’s victory in his home constituency, Dharmadam, was “only technical”, alleging that the CM trailed the UDF candidate in the initial rounds of counting and failed to secure a majority in his own village.
“He just escaped. He suffered a setback even in his home turf. He was the only person who did not realise the people’s mood in this election,” Venugopal said.
Alleging that the CPI(M) and the LDF had resorted to “communal and opportunistic politics”, he further claimed that the ruling front had entered into a “secret understanding” with the BJP in a bid to retain power for a third consecutive term.
He said that when a government driven by power and arrogance attempts to align with anyone to stay in office, even its own cadre turns against it.
Referring to the results, Venugopal said that while the UDF expected rebel CPI(M) leaders, including K Kunhikrishnan in Payyannur, to impact the vote share, their victories came as a surprise.
Describing the UDF’s performance as a “historic victory”, he attributed it to coordinated teamwork, grassroots mobilisation, and the dedication of party workers, adding that the alliance accepted the mandate “with humility”.
Venugopal also credited Rahul Gandhi’s campaign guarantees, calling them a “trump card” that helped voters focus on real issues and reject what he described as the LDF’s “false narratives”.
He claimed that the Congress witnessed one of its lowest levels of rebellion in this election, which contributed to the alliance’s strong performance.
The senior Congress leader further alleged that the BJP managed to win two seats with the help of the CPI(M), and asserted that forces attempting to divide society on communal lines should “learn a lesson” from Kerala’s verdict.
“This is the real Kerala story,” he said.
On the question of the next Chief Minister, Venugopal said the party leadership would decide at the earliest after due consultations.
The counting of votes began on Monday morning for all 140 Assembly constituencies in Kerala, where the Congress-led UDF secured a decisive majority, defeating the CPI(M)-led LDF, which was seeking an unprecedented third consecutive term in office.
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) posts, "Thank you to my brothers and sisters in Keralam for a truly decisive mandate. Congratulations to every UDF leader and worker for a hard-fought, well-run campaign. As I said before, Keralam has the talent, Keralam has the potential… pic.twitter.com/6T4IZbEmp4
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 4, 2026
