Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: NCP (SP) leader Rohit Pawar on Tuesday suggested that the death of Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash could have been part of a larger conspiracy, as several questions surrounding the incident remain unanswered.Rohit Pawar made the remarks during a presentation in Mumbai on the air crash that killed Ajit Pawar and four others last month. While briefing on the incident, he said that the circumstances leading up to the crash warranted closer scrutiny.“Ajit Dada’s plane crash could be a part of a conspiracy. We also investigated certain aspects of the accident. A book mentions that if someone wants to kill a person, the easiest way is to target the driver. The day before the accident, Dada was supposed to travel from Mumbai to Pune by car, and the convoy had also started. But why did he not leave by car? Ajit Dada was also scheduled to meet a senior leader,” Rohit Pawar said.He alleged that there were serious doubts about the aircraft, the pilot and the handling company. Rohit said that the crash warranted scrutiny beyond routine procedures.He questioned the credentials of the pilot who flew the aircraft on the day of the crash. The NCP (SP) leader referred to Capt Sumit Kapoor, who was piloting the Learjet and cited his past suspension.“Capt Sumit Kapoor had earlier been suspended for three years for alcohol consumption. This raises serious questions,” he said, while adding that the pilot’s role needed thorough examination.Rohit Pawar also raised concerns over the investigation process, arguing that existing agencies may not be sufficient to clear all doubts.“The AAIB functions under the DGCA. There is a need for an independent and comprehensive probe by multiple expert agencies, including international bodies,” he said, naming agencies such as the National Transportation Safety Board, the UK-based Air Accidents Investigation Branch, along with Indian authorities.He further alleged that VSR Company, which owned the Learjet aircraft, wielded influence over aviation regulators.“The final probe report of the 2023 crash involving a VSR company aircraft has already been submitted. Even now, VSR company planes continue to be used by high-ranking political leaders. Why was the company’s licence never cancelled?” Rohit Pawar asked.Stating that the tragedy could not be dismissed as an accident, he added, “We do not believe this was a mere accident. There is room to suspect sabotage.”“Entire Maharashtra is questioning whether Ajit Dada’s plane crash was an accident or a conspiracy? I am sharing with you all what I feel. Some people are still expecting dada to come from somewhere, some say 6 people were in aircraft, it was not Ajit dada’s dead body, it still feels like a nightmare,” Rohit said. Rohit Pawar also flagged multiple technical and operational issues, including whether the aircraft’s transponder was switched off, why a difficult runway was chosen despite poor visibility, and why the aircraft attempted landing under such conditions.“Why did the pilot demand Runway 11? Why did he attempt to land despite visibility issues? Why did he remain silent when the aircraft tilted?” he asked.He further said that Ajit Pawar was scheduled to travel to Pune by road on the evening of January 27 after a cabinet meeting and that his convoy had already been readied.“However, a leader from East Vidarbha arrived with a file related to scrapping a political consultant’s contract, which delayed the meeting. The aircraft booking was done late at night. Ajitdada was scheduled to take off at 7 am, yet the plane departed only at 8.10 am,” Rohit Pawar said.Ajit Pawar was killed on January 28 when a chartered Learjet aircraft crashed while attempting to land at the table-top airstrip in Baramati, Pune district. Four others, including his personal security officer, the pilot, co-pilot and a flight attendant, also lost their lives in the crash. The Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections in Maharashtra were postponed following the incident.Notably, NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar has earlier ruled out any conspiracy and described the incident as an accident.West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee earlier alleged that Ajit Pawar’s death could be linked to a political conspiracy and demanded a Supreme Court-monitored investigation, citing reports that he was considering rejoining the NCP (SP) led by Sharad Pawar.Meanwhile, the Union government has said that a technical investigation is under way. Minister of state for civil aviation Murlidhar Mohol said that the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) were examining the crash.“The black box has been recovered and is being analysed. The data will be downloaded, followed by a detailed inquiry. A preliminary report will be released after that,” Mohol said, urging caution against drawing premature conclusions.Authorities have said the investigation is being conducted under the AAIB Rules, 2025 and will determine the exact sequence of events, including the role of weather and visibility conditions during the aircraft’s attempted landing.The Maharashtra Crime Investigation Department (CID) has also initiated a parallel investigation, while Pune Rural Police have registered a case of accidental death and transferred it to the CID.
