Remains of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's plane that crashed during landing, near Baramati in Pune district, Maharashtra, Wednesday, January 28. PTI
LIVE: Ajit Pawar, four others killed in Baramati plane crash; AAIB plans probe
Eyewitnesses say plane was unstable in the air and exploded when it crashed; Pawar was travelling from Mumbai for public meetings ahead of rural local body polls
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four other persons on board an aircraft were killed after it crashed near the Baramati airport in Maharashtra’s Pune district on Wednesday (January 28). Pawar had taken off from Mumbai in the morning to address four rallies in the day in Pune district for the February 5 zilla parishad elections.
An official said the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) team will visit the crash site and investigate the accident. The dead include two crew members, he added.
According to Flight Radar, the Learjet aircraft, operated by Delhi-based VSR Ventures, took off from Mumbai at 8.10 am and disappeared from radar around 8.45 am. The aircraft crashed at 8.50 am, a police official said.
Pawar is survived by wife Sunetra, a Rajya Sabha MP, and two sons, Parth and Jay. He was the nephew of Rajya Sabha MP and former Maharashtra CM Sharad Pawar.
Read updates below.
Live Updates
- 28 Jan 2026 10:37 AM IST
Ajit Pawar plane crash: DGCA says no person on board survived
An aircraft carrying Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others, including two crew members crash landed at Baramati airport, killing all five persons on board, a senior DGCA official said on Wednesday.
A team of DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) officials is heading to the crash site, the official said.
There were five passengers -- Deputy CM of Maharashtra Ajit Pawar onboard along with two more personnel (one PSO and one attendant) and two crew members (pilot in-command and the first officer) -- on board the Learjet 45 aircraft when the accident happened, he said.
According to initial information, no person on board survived the crash, the official said.
- 28 Jan 2026 10:15 AM IST
Rupee rises 11 paise to 91.57 against the US dollar in early trade
The rupee gained 11 paise to 91.57 against the US dollar in early trade on Wednesday, supported by a retreating dollar index and the landmark India-EU trade deal. Forex traders said the rupee opened higher as the US dollar index softened and a long-awaited trade breakthrough with Europe offered quiet reassurance.
At the interbank foreign exchange market, the rupee opened at 91.60 against the US dollar, then gained some ground to 91.57, registering a gain of 11 paise over its previous close. On Tuesday, the rupee rebounded from its all-time low levels and gained 22 paise to close at 91.68 (provisional) against the US dollar.
In the initial trade, it also touched 91.66 against the American currency. "The 92.00 level remains the key near-term pivot for USD/INR. A sustained move above this zone could open the way toward the 92.20–92.50 range," CR Forex Advisors MD Amit Pabari said.
Pabari further added that continued RBI presence in the market, combined with a softer dollar backdrop, may help stabilise the pair and gradually pull it back toward the 90.80–91.00 zone in the near term.
- 28 Jan 2026 10:13 AM IST
FY27 Budget to incorporate recommendations of 16th Finance Commission
The forthcoming Budget would incorporate the recommendations of the 16th Finance Commission which has already submitted its report to President Droupadi Murmu.
The Finance Commission, which has been set up under the Constitution, provides a formula for devolution of taxes between Centre and states. Cesses and surcharge levied by Centre are not part of the divisible pool. The 16th Finance Commission, headed by former Vice Chairman of Niti Aayog Arvind Panagariya, was set up on December 31, 2023.
Although the 16th Finance Commission report has not been made public, the Union Government historically has been accepting the recommendations of the Commission. The 16th Finance Commission’s recommendations with regard to the formula for sharing taxes for five years starting 2026-27 to 2030-31 would be the key look out once the report is made public.
As per the Terms of Reference (ToR), the 16th FC was mandated to give its report covering a period of five years commencing on the 1st day of April, 2026 making recommendations on the distribution of the net proceeds of taxes between the Union and the States as well as the allocation between the States of the respective shares of such proceeds, grants-in-aid to States, review arrangements on financing Disaster Management initiatives, etc.
- 28 Jan 2026 9:57 AM IST
Sensex jumps 646 points in early trade on optimism over India-EU FTA
Equity benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty surged in early trade on Wednesday, extending their previous day's rally, on optimism over India-EU FTA.
The 30-share BSE Sensex jumped 646.49 points to 82,503.97 during initial trade. The 50-share NSE Nifty surged 196.7 points to 25,372.10.
From the 30-Sensex firms, Axis Bank, Reliance Industries, NTPC, Bharat Electronics, ICICI Bank and Bajaj Finance were among the major gainers.
- 28 Jan 2026 9:49 AM IST
Maharashtra Dy CM Ajit Pawar, three others killed in plane crash in Pune
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and three other persons were killed after an aircraft carrying them crashed in Pune district on Wednesday morning, officials said.
The incident occurred when Pawar's plane was landing in Pune's Baramati area, they said.
- 28 Jan 2026 9:47 AM IST
Ajit Pawar's plane crashed at 8:45 AM: Report
Mumbai to Baramati charter plane crash-landed at 8:45 am in Baramati, Maharashtra. Deputy CM Ajit Pawar was on board, according to news agency ANI.
- 28 Jan 2026 9:44 AM IST
US: Texas freezes new H-1B visas
Governor Greg Abbott has directed all Texas state agencies and universities to freeze new H-1B visa petitions and launch a review of the current H-1B visa programme use.
"The economy of Texas should work for the benefit of Texas workers and Texas employers," reads the directive. "In light of recent reports of abuse in the federal H-1B visa programme, and amid the federal government’s ongoing review of that program to ensure American jobs are going to American workers, I am directing all state agencies to immediately freeze new H-1B visa petitions as outlined in this letter. State government must lead by example and ensure that employment opportunities — particularly those funded with taxpayer dollars — are filled by Texans first."
- 28 Jan 2026 9:30 AM IST
Visuals from Ajit Pawar's aircraft crash site
Visuals from the crash site. Reports said Ajit Pawar's aircraft crash-landed in Baramati. More details awaited.
- 28 Jan 2026 9:27 AM IST
INDIA bloc leaders to meet at 10 am
The INDIA bloc MPs are scheduled to meet at 10 am to discuss floor strategy for the Parliament's Budget session, which starts today. Congress and other Opposition leaders will meet the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and LOP in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge.
- 28 Jan 2026 9:22 AM IST
Ajit Pawar's aircraft crashes: Reports
An aircraft carrying Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar crashed while attempting to land in Baramati in Pune district, according to reports.
