Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], February 10 : Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchand Pawar) leader Rohit Pawar on Tuesday raised questions about the circumstances surrounding Ajit Pawar's plane crash, suggesting it might be a conspiracy.
"Entire Maharashtra is questioning whether Ajit Dada's plane crash was an accident or a conspiracy? I am sharing with you all what I feel. Some people are still expecting Dada to come from somewhere. Some say 6 people were in the aircraft, it was not Ajit Dada's dead body, it still feels like a nightmare," he said while holding a press conference on the Baramati air crash.
Rohit Pawar highlighted the atmosphere of suspicion, grief, and political intrigue currently surrounding these events in Maharashtra. He mentioned an investigation into the accident, citing a book that suggests killing a person's driver is an easy way to target them.
Rohit Pawar pointed out that former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP Chief Ajit Pawar had changed plans, sparking speculation.
The crux of the suspicion lies in the final 24 hours before the crash. According to Rohit Pawar, a series of last-minute changes suggested a deviation from the original plan.
He claimed that Ajit Pawar was reportedly scheduled to travel from Mumbai to Pune by car the evening before the crash. The security convoy had already begun its manoeuvres, yet "Dada" (Ajit Pawar) never stepped into the vehicle.
He also claimed a high-stakes meeting with a "big leader" that may have altered his travel itinerary at the eleventh hour.
"Ajit Pawar's plane crash could be a part of the conspiracy. We also investigated some things about Ajit Pawar's accident. A book states that if you want to kill a person, the easiest way is to kill that person's driver. The day before the accident, Dada was supposed to come to Pune from Mumbai by car in the evening. At that time, the convoy had also started. But why did Dada not leave by car? Ajit Dada was supposed to meet a big leader," said Rohit Pawar.
Ajit Pawar died in a plane crash on January 28 in Maharashtra's Baramati. According to DGCA, five people, including the crew, on board the chartered plane flying from Mumbai, Maharashtra, to Baramati, died after a crash-landing occurred at the runway threshold in Baramati.
On February 7, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation are making rapid progress in probing the fatal crash of a chartered Learjet 45 that killed Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, along with his personal security officer, the pilot, co-pilot, and flight attendant near Baramati Airport.
Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol confirmed that the black box from the ill-fated aircraft has been successfully recovered and is under analysis.
Speaking to the media, MoS Mohol stated, "The black box has been recovered, and the AAIB team and the DGCA are working on it. I believe the data will be downloaded as soon as possible. Some analysis will be done, an inquiry will be held, and after that, I think the preliminary report will also be released."
He highlighted that a detailed inquiry is underway, with the preliminary report expected shortly after completion of initial data analysis and assessments.
He shared that investigation teams comprising three officers each from the AAIB and the DGCA's Mumbai Regional Office arrived at the crash site on the day of the incident, and the Director General of AAIB also visited the site the same day to oversee initial proceedings.
"The probe is being conducted in accordance with Rules 5 and 11 of the AAIB Rules, 2025, to ensure a comprehensive and expeditious examination of the circumstances leading to the loss of control during the aircraft's attempted landing amid reported poor visibility," Mohol said.
Authorities have stressed that the investigation remains ongoing and that no premature conclusions should be drawn until the analysis is complete. The black box data is expected to provide critical insights into the sequence of events.