Maharashtra Legislative Council Chairman Ram Shinde on Thursday directed the state government to place before the House a detailed statement on the Ajit Pawar plane crash that claimed the life of deputy CM and four others, reported the PTI.
The direction came after NCP (SP) MLC Shashikant Shinde moved an adjournment motion seeking a discussion on the January 28 crash in Baramati in Pune district.
Raising the issue in the House, Shashikant Shinde said several individuals, including legislators Amol Mitkari and Rohit Pawar, had expressed suspicion regarding the circumstances surrounding Ajit Pawar’s death, as per the PTI.
He added that many had demanded a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
He further stated that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had ordered the grounding of four aircraft operated by VSR Ventures over alleged non-compliance with approved procedures related to airworthiness, air safety and flight operations.
VSR Ventures operated the ill-fated Learjet-45 aircraft that crashed near the Baramati airstrip.
Call for FIR and clarity on probe
“It is unfortunate that an FIR has not been registered even after the DGCA order. This creates suspicion. There was callousness on the company’s part,” Shashikant Shinde claimed, according to the PTI.
Rohit Pawar and Mitkari have also been demanding that an FIR be registered against VSR Ventures.
Although Chairman Ram Shinde rejected the adjournment motion, he acknowledged the seriousness of the issue.
“Looking at the gravity of the matter, I direct the state government to issue a statement and place the facts related to the air crash before the House,” he said, the news agency reported.
Shashikant Shinde also sought details regarding the investors in VSR Ventures and questioned whether the crash was purely accidental or involved any form of sabotage.
He noted that while the state government had said it had sought a CBI probe and requested the Centre to initiate it, there was no clarity on the status of the request.
Demand for action against police officer
In a related development in the Legislative Council, Amol Mitkari demanded action against a Mumbai Deputy Commissioner of Police, alleging that the officer refused to accept his and Rohit Pawar’s request to register an FIR against VSR Ventures and had misbehaved with the lawmakers, reported the PTI.
The matter continues to generate political debate as calls grow for greater transparency and accountability in the investigation.
(with PTI inputs)
