11 February,2026 03:28 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondent
Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) MLA Rohit Pawar. File Pic
Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) MLA Rohit Pawar on Wednesday expressed renewed doubts about the circumstances of his uncle Ajit Pawar's plane crash, suggesting the possibility of a conspiracy.
According to the news agency ANI, while speaking at a press conference, he questioned the role of the aviation company. Citing statements from Manoj Pawar, the handler of Arrow company, the NCP (SP) leader indicated that poor visibility in Baramati may not have caused the crash.
"Ajit Pawar was a prominent political leader in Maharashtra. People have doubts about his plane crash. We have compiled some information over the last 13 days based on our sources. We are emotional about this matter. The most important point here is that Manoj Pawar is the handler of the Arrow company," Rohit Pawar said, reported ANI.
"Manoj Pawar mentioned that 'visibility is okay' in a group that included Ajit Dada's PAs, the Maharashtra Aviation Director, and the pilot. VSR owner Vijay Kumar Singh stated that the aircraft was well-maintained, the pilots were experienced, and the accident likely occurred due to visibility issues. There is something inconsistent with this statement," he added.
Pawar demanded that investigating agencies review the tech log and other documents to identify the officials who signed them before the flight.
"A local said, 'The plane carrying Dada had a different sound and was flying low.' When the aircraft stalled, it could have been a manual stall or a mechanical error. The pilot or anyone could have reacted, as it was by Pilot Pathak. Aircraft maintenance must be performed daily. Who signed the tech log? We demand that these documents be reviewed during the investigation," he added, reported ANI.
He also flagged the lack of an Instrument Landing System (ILS) in Baramati and stated that a similar plane crash in 2023 should have been investigated promptly.
"A plane crash in 2023 in Mumbai shows a flat runway. There is no ILS in Baramati; there was a crash in Mumbai despite the presence of an ILS there. The probability of an accident increases without an ILS. That 2023 crash also involved a VSR aircraft. If prior information on the probe had been available, Ajit Pawar might not have been in an accident. Even today, whether it's our CM, our minister, or other leaders, flights using VSR aircraft are at risk. The way VSR maintains its aircraft is incorrect. As a result, both the 2023 Mumbai crash and Ajit Dada's accident occurred. We request that no one use any VSR plane, no matter how urgent," he said, reported ANI.
Criticising the aviation company further, he said the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) had cancelled its authorisation over the 2023 incident, alleging that the company does not maintain its aircraft properly.
The Maharashtra MLA said, "Recently, EASA sent a message to the VSR operator regarding the 2023 accident. No information was provided, not even through DGCA, resulting in the cancellation of VSR's third-country operator license. Some senior aviation journalists informed me that the report was to be submitted to the European agency via DGCA, but one person deliberately blocked it. This person is a political figure with aviation experience."
"There is a 12-hour duty gap that this company does not follow. Many of their aircraft have inactive cockpit voice recorders. We have requested data for this aircraft. They do not maintain checklists or tech logs. Aircraft health checks are neglected. The engine and equipment are not replaced on schedule. They claimed the aircraft flew for 50 hours, whereas it actually flew 100 hours. We have learned that some DGCA officials, being friends of Singh (VSR owner), had undue influence over the regulatory process," he added, reported ANI.
Earlier, Rohit Pawar had alleged a conspiracy behind former Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's death in a plane crash on January 28 in Baramati, Maharashtra. According to DGCA, five people, including the crew, died when the chartered plane flying from Mumbai to Baramati crash-landed at the runway threshold.
On February 7, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) confirmed they are making rapid progress in probing the fatal crash of the chartered Learjet 45 that killed Ajit Pawar, his personal security officer, the pilot, co-pilot, and flight attendant near Baramati Airport.
Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol confirmed that the black box from the aircraft has been successfully recovered and is under analysis.
(With ANI inputs)
