Mumbai: Following the death of former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash, members of his family have expressed suspicion over the circumstances surrounding the accident.
Sources said his son, Parth Pawar, along with other family members, is likely to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to seek a high-level probe into the incident. Parth Pawar on Thursday also filed his nomination as the NCP nominee for the Rajya Sabha election.
While the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) had already demanded a CBI inquiry into the crash, the family’s direct involvement has added fresh momentum to the demand for a deeper investigation.
The call for a detailed probe follows allegations raised by close relatives. NCP (SP) legislator Rohit Pawar, Ajit Pawar’s nephew, had earlier held a press conference raising concerns about the aviation firm VSR Ventures and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
Subsequently, Ajit Pawar’s younger son Jay Pawar shared a video that allegedly shows VSR Ventures owner Rohit Singh asleep in the pilot’s seat during a flight. Jay Pawar has also petitioned the DGCA seeking strict action against the company.
On Wednesday night, around 20 NCP MLAs met Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar at the ‘Devgiri’ official residence to discuss alleged inconsistencies surrounding the crash.
Sources said the Pawar family is not satisfied with the preliminary findings of the investigation.
During the proposed meeting with the Prime Minister, Parth Pawar is expected to seek a comprehensive technical audit of VSR Ventures and an inquiry into the safety protocols allegedly followed or ignored by the DGCA.
He is also expected to demand an independent investigation to rule out any possibility of foul play.
The developments have drawn widespread attention in Maharashtra as one of the state’s most prominent political families presses for answers.
Earlier, NCP (SP) working president Supriya Sule had demanded a transparent probe into Ajit Pawar’s death in the plane crash in Baramati on January 28.
Addressing a press conference, Sule said people who hold Ajit Pawar in high regard remain deeply anxious following the accident and stressed the need for a fair inquiry to maintain public trust.
“The people who love Ajit Dada are uneasy. There is a collective demand for a transparent investigation into the accident. Both Rohit Pawar and Jay Pawar have consistently raised questions regarding this, and it is imperative that the facts are brought to light through a fair probe,” Sule said.
She added: “People across Maharashtra who love Ajit Dada are restless. Rohit and Jay are speaking up because there is a sense of unease among the public. There is a collective demand for a transparent probe into what happened. I am not saying this just because Rohit and Jay are members of my family; it is the demand of countless Ajit Dada supporters that the facts must come out transparently.”
(IANS)
