Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah seeking a detailed investigation into the air crash near Baramati on January 28 that killed Deputy CM Ajith Pawar and others, following concerns raised by NCP-SC MLA Rohit Pawar.
The development comes after Rohit Pawar submitted a representation highlighting several issues related to the crash, in which Ajit Pawar and four others lost their lives.
In his letter shared by news agency ANI on its X, Fadnavis formally requested an inquiry, stating that, “a number of concerns have been raised by public representatives regarding the circumstances leading to the incident.”
He further noted that in the representation received from Rohit Pawar, it “highlighted several issues which warrant careful examination during the course of the investigation.”
The letter listed multiple areas that require examination.
These include concerns over the safety record of the aircraft operator, with reference to a previous accident involving the same operator M/s VSR Ventures in 2023 and observations related to regulatory compliance.
It also raised issues regarding flight crew deployment and duty norms, including the reported last-minute replacement of pilots and adherence to flight duty time limitations. Further, the letter pointed to questions about aircraft maintenance and airworthiness, including examination of maintenance history, technical logs, safety systems and the role of maintenance organisations.
Concerns were also highlighted regarding discrepancies in flight data and records. These include differences between air traffic control records and flight radar data, as well as the loss of the aircraft's transponder signal and cockpit recording issues.
The letter additionally referred to operational decisions during the landing approach, including the attempt to land in reportedly low visibility, runway selection, go-around manoeuvre and the decision not to divert to an alternate airport.
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It also called for a review of regulatory oversight, specifically the supervision exercised over the aircraft operator and compliance with aviation safety requirements. Fadnavis further stated that Rohit Pawar has urged for a formal inquiry.
He added that the state government would cooperate with the process. “I request for further immediate necessary action in this matter. The Government of Maharashtra will extend all necessary cooperation to the investigating authorities in this regard,” the letter added.
Speaking to news agency IANS, he said, "Yesterday, I met the Maharashtra Assembly Speaker and urged that this matter should be discussed through various means. Our leaders and members in the Upper House are also trying to raise this issue. Unfortunately, this subject is deliberately not being brought up for discussion..."
Earlier on February 26, Rohit Pawar had also demanded the resignation of Union Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu in connection with the crash. “We are demanding the resignation of the Union Civil Aviation Minister. His party has proven financial links to the company involved. He should not remain in his post,” he said after holding a protest and demanding that a police case be filed.
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