Rohit Pawar Seeks Removal of Civil Aviation Minister, CBI Probe into Ajit Pawar Plane Crash

Mumbai, Feb 2026 : Rohit Pawar Seeks Removal of Civil Aviation Minister, CBI Probe into Ajit Pawar Plane CrashNationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) legislator Rohit Pawar on Wednesday demanded the immediate removal of Union Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu and senior officials of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) until the completion of the inquiry into the death of former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who died in a plane crash in Baramati last month.

Addressing a press conference in Mumbai, Rohit Pawar alleged a deep-rooted “nexus” between the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the DGCA, and VSR Ventures, the firm that owned and operated the aircraft involved in the crash on January 28. Terming the incident highly suspicious, he called for the case to be reclassified from “accidental death” to “culpable homicide,” arguing that multiple unanswered questions pointed to serious lapses and possible wrongdoing.

The NCP (SP) MLA demanded the registration of a formal First Information Report (FIR) against the owners of VSR Ventures as well as the technical personnel who had certified the aircraft as airworthy. He insisted that the seriousness of the incident warranted an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). According to him, the involvement of a high-profile public figure and the technical complexity of aviation safety issues made the case unsuitable for a probe limited to the state machinery.

Rohit Pawar argued that the Maharashtra Criminal Investigation Department (CID) lacked both the “technical teeth” and the “political independence” to probe a sector that falls under the control of the Union government. His remarks came a day after leaders from Ajit Pawar’s faction reportedly urged Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to recommend a CBI inquiry into the crash, citing public safety and transparency concerns.

Escalating his demands, Rohit Pawar also called for the immediate nationwide grounding of all aircraft operated by VSR Ventures. He alleged that the company had a history of safety violations and claimed that findings from a 2023 crash involving the same firm had been deliberately “suppressed.” He took strong exception to reports suggesting that the flight recorder from the Baramati crash had been found damaged, describing such explanations as a “scripted excuse” aimed at concealing crucial evidence related to the aircraft’s final moments.

The legislator further alleged that a delay of nearly 20 days in the investigation had given the company sufficient time to “sanitise” maintenance records and internal communications, including WhatsApp messages. He claimed that the decision for Ajit Pawar to travel by air was taken late in the evening, after 7 p.m. on the previous day, following the sudden cancellation of a planned road journey. This, he suggested, raised the disturbing possibility that the former Deputy Chief Minister may have been “manoeuvred” into boarding the aircraft.

Reiterating his earlier stance, Rohit Pawar said the crash might not have been accidental and could involve elements of “conspiracy” or “sabotage.” He claimed that the aircraft may have been deliberately brought down or struck, rather than crashing solely due to technical failure. Casting doubt on the reported condition of the flight recorders, he remarked, “The black box is safe from summer, monsoon, winter and even bomb blasts, but not from politics.”

The MLA also alleged that the aircraft was fitted with additional illegal fuel tanks to cut down refuelling costs. According to him, these tanks may have acted like a “bomb” upon impact, triggering an explosion far more severe than what would normally occur in a crash of that nature.

Rohit Pawar raised questions about the pilot, Sumit Kapoor, alleging that he had faced alcohol-related suspensions in the past. He questioned why the original crew was changed at the last moment and whether the pilot was medically fit to operate the flight on that day.

Accusing VSR Ventures of enjoying a “monopoly” and close proximity to powerful political figures, Rohit Pawar said these factors had slowed down the investigation. He further claimed that the company’s authorisation had once been revoked by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, yet it continued to operate aircraft in India.

Concluding his address, Rohit Pawar demanded that the probe include international agencies such as the National Transportation Safety Board and the Air Accidents Investigation Branch, alongside Indian authorities. He also called for a monitoring panel comprising members of the Pawar family, legal experts, and opposition leaders to ensure transparency and credibility in the investigation.