Mumbai, Feb 18: Jay Pawar on Wednesday demanded a thorough, impartial investigation into the Learjet crash that killed former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP president Ajit Pawar on January 28, and called for an immediate ban on all flight operations by VSR Ventures, the aircraft’s operator. He raised fresh concerns about safety protocols and the integrity of the ongoing probe after posting on social media.
In his post, Jay Pawar urged full transparency and regulatory action, saying black boxes “cannot be easily destroyed” in aircraft accidents and that the public has a right to the “complete, transparent, and indisputable truth.” He also demanded an in-depth inquiry into possible “serious misconduct” in the maintenance of the company’s aircraft.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) are leading the official probe into the January 28 crash, which occurred during a landing attempt at Baramati Airport in heavy fog and low visibility. Authorities have not yet publicly concluded the investigation.
The NCP intensified its demand for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe a day earlier. A party delegation led by Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar, accompanied by NCP working president Praful Patel, state president Sunil Tatkare and youth leader Parth Pawar, met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday to press for a CBI inquiry.
Sunil Tatkare said the Chief Minister assured the delegation that the state government would correspond with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and take steps to facilitate the requested CBI probe.
The NCP flagged several “serious irregularities and suspicious circumstances,” including alleged last-minute changes to the flight crew, inconsistencies in air traffic control (ATC) communications and the sequence of runway clearances, and doubts about the functionality and integrity of critical onboard safety warning systems.
At a separate press conference, NCP legislator Rohit Pawar demanded that Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu and senior DGCA officials be removed or step aside amid the controversy. He alleged a “nexus” between the ministry, the DGCA and VSR Ventures, urged the case be treated as culpable homicide rather than an accident, and called for a formal FIR against the aircraft owners and the technical staff who signed off the plane’s airworthiness. He argued the state CID lacks the technical capacity and political independence to investigate aviation matters controlled by the Union government.
The AAIB and DGCA probe continues as political leaders press for greater transparency and a possible CBI takeover of the investigation. IANS
Original Source: https://theshillongtimes.com/2026/02/18/ajit-pawars-death-son-jay-pawar-demands-a-thorough-probe-into-plane-crash/
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Publish Date: 2026-02-18 21:34:00
