Rohit Pawar to meet Arvind Kejriwal, INDIA bloc leaders to raise Ajit Pawar plane crash issue in Parliament

Pawar to raise issue with INDIA bloc leaders

Rohit Pawar said he plans to meet several senior opposition leaders in Delhi and request them to highlight the issue during parliamentary proceedings.

“The fight will now be taken to Delhi. Tomorrow, I will meet Arvind Kejriwal and other INDIA bloc leaders and urge them to raise this issue in Parliament,” he said, reported PTI.

He also expressed disappointment that legislators who had sided with Ajit Pawar during the NCP split in July 2023 have not taken a strong stand on the matter.

“I am deeply saddened that the MLAs who went with Ajitdada are not willing to take any stand,” Pawar said.

CID delays FIR despite preliminary report: Rohit Pawar

The NCP (SP) leader made the remarks after meeting Criminal Investigation Department (CID) officials in Pune, where he submitted documents including the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) preliminary report related to the crash, reported PTI.

The meeting was held as part of a statement recorded under Section 180 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).

According to Pawar, CID officials had earlier indicated that an FIR would be registered once the AAIB preliminary report was submitted. However, during the latest meeting, investigators allegedly said an FIR could only be registered after the final report is released, reported PTI.

“During our previous visit, CID officials told us an FIR would be registered after the AAIB report was submitted. Today, they changed their stand, saying an FIR can only be registered after the final report,” Pawar claimed, reported PTI.

Questions raised over delay in final report

Pawar also highlighted delays in the release of the final investigation report in a separate VSR aircraft crash in 2023, noting that it is still awaited.

He said the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has indicated that the report will be issued soon, but the delay raises concerns about the pace of investigations.

“This delay shows there is clear dilly-dallying in registering an FIR in the plane crash case,” he alleged.

Allegations of preferential treatment during questioning

The MLA also raised questions about the treatment given to V.K. Singh, owner of VSR Ventures, the company that operated the aircraft involved in the crash.

According to Pawar, Singh was given special treatment when he appeared before the CID for questioning.

“He was given royal treatment at the CID office. His security personnel carrying AK-47 rifles were allowed inside, and he was whisked away from the media on his way out,” Pawar alleged, reported PTI.

He questioned why the businessman was shielded from journalists after his questioning.

Allegations of pressure on investigators

Rohit Pawar further alleged that there may be pressure on investigating agencies, claiming that no concrete probe appears to be underway.

He alleged that the delay in registering an FIR and the manner in which the investigation is progressing could indicate an attempt to protect the company that operated the aircraft.

“This shows something is clearly fishy,” Pawar said, adding that he would continue to push for a thorough investigation into the incident, reported PTI.

The plane crash on January 28 claimed the lives of Ajit Pawar and four others, sending shockwaves across Maharashtra’s political landscape and prompting calls for a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the accident.

(With inputs from PTI)