India, June 7 -- Maharashtra deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde's take off from Jalgaon to Mumbai on Friday night was delayed as pilot of the chartered flight initially refused to fly owing to the breach of scheduled flying hours.

The flight eventually took off after fresh permission was taken and he was persuaded by the ruling party leaders. Shinde's office, however, said that delay helped them airlift a kidney failure patient who could reach Mumbai in time for her transplant.

Shinde was in Jalgaon to attend 'Palkhi Yatra' of Sant Muktai in Muktainagar on Friday evening. His schedule was delayed and when he came to the airport for his journey to Mumbai, the pilot pointed at the delay in scheduled flying and rules of the duty hours for...