Praful Patel backs demand for CBI probe into Ajit Pawar plane crash

NCP working president Praful Patel defended the party’s demand for a CBI probe into Ajit Pawar’s death in a Baramati plane crash. He said doubts remain over the investigation and supported calls for an independent and thorough inquiry

Gondia (Maharashtra): The NCP working president and former civil aviation minister, Praful Patel, on Wednesday strongly defended the party’s demand for a CBI probe into the death of former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and national president Ajit Pawar in a plane crash at Baramati on January 28.

“CBI is a reliable organisation. If the probe is conducted by the CBI, then some facts and aspects should be taken into account. CBI can do this work,” he said at a press conference.

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“NCP yesterday submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and demanded a CBI inquiry into the Ajit Pawar plane crash. This is a very unfortunate incident. A thorough investigation into this incident is being done by various agencies. The state government is also investigating. But many people have expressed doubts about this. Therefore, a thorough investigation is necessary. How such a big accident can happen suddenly should be investigated by the CBI, and since this incident happened in Maharashtra, the state government can ask the CBI to investigate this. Therefore, we, on behalf of the NCP, submitted a memorandum yesterday and demanded a CBI inquiry into this matter,” explained Patel.

He said that they should get the information on whether every aspect is being investigated in the right direction or not. “At present, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Board is conducting a probe into technical matters. I heard that the black box is also going to America for investigation, as they were not able to investigate thoroughly here,” he added.

Patel said the state government has roped in CID to conduct the investigation, but the party wants information be obtained from every aspect. “I am a very responsible person and have been in politics for many years. Therefore, I will speak very patiently, and I will not say anything until I have evidence,” he said.

He responded to a question on several observations made by NCP-SP legislator Rohit Pawar on Wednesday at a press conference in connection with the plane crash.

Patel’s statement comes hours after Rohit Pawar demanded that Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu and top DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) officials be removed or step aside, especially amid raging controversy over Ajit Pawar’s death in a plane crash at Baramati on January 28.

At the press conference, Rohit Pawar alleged a “nexus” between the ministry, the DGCA, and VSR Ventures (the aircraft owner), claiming that the current leadership is biased and protecting the company. He also demanded that the case be treated as culpable homicide rather than “accidental death.” He called for a formal FIR (First Information Report) to be registered against the owners of VSR Ventures and the technical staff who signed off on the flight’s airworthiness.

Rohit Pawar further demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry. He argued that since the crash involved a high-profile constitutional authority (the Deputy CM) and crossed state/departmental jurisdictions, the state CID lacks the “technical teeth” and “political independence” to investigate the Union-controlled aviation sector.