Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Tuesday demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the death of former Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, who died in a plane crash in Baramati last month.A delegation of senior party leaders, including his wife Sunetra Pawar, NCP National Working President and MP Praful Patel, State President and MP Sunil Tatkare, Maharashtra medical education minister Hasan Mushrif and youth leader Parth Pawar, submitted a memorandum to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis seeking a CBI-led investigation.Ajit Pawar and four others were killed on the morning of January 28 when the aircraft carrying them crashed while attempting to land at the Baramati airport in Pune district. The incident has since triggered political controversy, with the NCP (SP), along with Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Indian National Congress, raising questions and alleging possible “foul play”.Earlier in the day, NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule said that there was growing unease over the circumstances surrounding Pawar’s death and that the civil aviation ministry should clarify the facts.“Ajit Pawar was Rohit Pawar’s uncle. Rohit Pawar, along with several others, has concerns and uneasiness regarding this matter. Amol Mitkari has also raised questions. Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Congress have fully supported us. They have said that this issue should be discussed in Parliament and even met the Speaker in this regard. There are many questions in the minds of the people, and they deserve answers,” Sule said.NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar criticised the pace of the investigation, alleging that nearly 20 days after the crash, there had been little visible progress.“20 days have passed since the unfortunate accident, yet the investigation hasn’t gained any momentum. Is the delay solely to allow the VSR company to destroy evidence or does the company have someone’s protection? This question has arisen in the minds of common citizens. The information emerging today about the black box being damaged makes it seem like the possibility I predicted five days ago is turning out to be true. Be that as it may, we will not rest until we get answers whether it was an accident or a murder in the case of Dada!” he said.
