NCP MLA Rohit Pawar Alleges Sabotage In Ajit Pawar's Plane Crash, Demands International Probe

Mumbai: NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar on Tuesday suggested that the death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in last month’s plane crash may not have been a mere accident, raising the possibility of a larger conspiracy and demanding a comprehensive investigation by multiple national and international expert agencies.

Questions Sudden Travel Change

Speaking during a detailed presentation at the Y.B. Chavan Auditorium in Mumbai, Pawar outlined several unanswered questions surrounding the January 28 crash that claimed the lives of Ajit Pawar and four others. “We do not believe this was a mere accident. There is room to suspect sabotage,” he alleged.

Rohit Pawar said Ajit Pawar had originally planned to travel by car, but circumstances changed overnight, leading to a hurried decision to fly the next morning. “Was there deliberate planning to ensure he travelled by aircraft instead of road? Why were both pilots changed at the last moment? Who issued the maintenance certificate for the VSR company’s aircraft, and why has that report not been made public?” he asked.

Lists Technical, Operational Doubts

He further argued that a probe by the Crime Investigation Department (CID) alone would be insufficient and called for an inquiry involving bodies such as the National Transportation Safety Board, the Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety, the UK-based Air Accidents Investigation Branch, along with Indian agencies. Pawar also noted that India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) functions under the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), raising concerns about whether all doubts would be independently addressed.

The MLA listed multiple aviation-related concerns like Why did the pilot not issue a Mayday call during the emergency?, Why was the aircraft transponder switched off?, Did the aircraft suffer a mechanical or technical failure?, Were pre-flight inspections, maintenance logs and airworthiness reports properly recorded? When was the last heavy maintenance conducted, and where is the report?

Alleges Operator Negligence

He also questioned why the aircraft did not attempt a second go-around, asking whether pilots were pressured to save fuel or maintain schedule.

“Was someone’s life considered less important than fuel costs?” he asked.

According to Pawar, some experts believe the stall warning system may have been non-functional, and it remains unclear whether the EGPWS ground-proximity alert sounded when the aircraft flew at very low altitude.

Rohit Pawar made several allegations regarding the aircraft operator. He alleged The cockpit voice recorder was reportedly switched off, Standard checklist procedures and operating protocols were allegedly lacking, Pilots may have faced pressure to fly without adequate rest intervals. The company had faced a previous accident two years ago, the report of which has not surfaced.The aircraft type was allegedly restricted in parts of Europe.

He demanded that the owner of the VSR company face a case of culpable homicide, alleging serious negligence.

Presenting the sequence of events, Pawar said Ajit Pawar Reached the airport at 7:50 a.m., The aircraft took off at 8:10 a.m.,Was near Lonavala by 8:22 a.m. The crash occurred between 8:43 and 8:45 a.m., News of his critical condition emerged at 9:00 a.m., followed by confirmation of death at 9:45 a.m.

The 16-year-old Learjet had flown to Surat two days earlier and was claimed by the operator to be in good condition, with the crash possibly caused by fog—a claim Pawar disputed, citing visual evidence of the aircraft tilting and exploding before impact.

Displaying CCTV footage during the presentation, Pawar questioned why landing was attempted despite visibility below 5 km, which he said violates DGCA visual flight rules. “The pilot knew visibility was poor. Why take such a risk? Was there pressure, intent, or forced heroism?” he asked.

He also pointed to a visible line and subsequent blast near the runway in the footage, calling it an unresolved mystery.

Call for international probe and wider conspiracy angle

Rohit Pawar urged that, alongside Indian authorities, foreign investigative agencies from the United States or France** should also examine the crash.

Citing a book on Israel’s intelligence agency Mossad, he suggested investigators examine whether any targeted sabotage pattern could be relevant to the incident.

He further claimed delays caused by a file requiring Ajit Pawar’s signature and a late meeting with a senior leader altered his travel schedule—factors he said must be scrutinised for possible planning.

While acknowledging the tragedy, Pawar said physical evidence such as Ajit Pawar’s sweater, footwear and wristwatch recovered at the crash site confirmed the grim reality. “We must accept he is no longer with us, but the truth behind what happened must come out,” he said.

Following Ajit Pawar’s death, several leaders had already raised doubts about whether the crash was accidental or deliberate.

With Rohit Pawar now presenting documents, video evidence and technical questions, pressure is mounting for a high-level, independent investigation into one of Maharashtra’s most shocking aviation tragedies in recent times.

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