Rohit Pawar flags 'sabotage' angle in Baramati crash, cites AI-171 crash media report

Following a media report on the AI-171 crash last year in Ahmedabad, National Congress Party (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar on Friday (February 13) said it has deepened his doubts regarding the private jet crash that killed his uncle Ajit Pawar in Baramati last month.

"After seeing the news (in a section of foreign media) that the pilot himself had turned off the fuel switch in the Ahmedabad aircraft crash, the suspicion expressed regarding Ajit Dada's plane accident has gained further strength," said Rohit Pawar in a post on X.

'Sabotage angle'

Pawar asserted that an investigation should be conducted in the Baramati crash too, to determine if there was any pressure on the pilot.

"A thorough, in-depth, and impartial investigation must be carried out," he insisted.

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) on Thursday (February 12) dismissed the media reports on the findings of the Ahmedabad Air India plane crash, and called the probe results published in the foreign media report as "incorrect and speculative".

Also read: AI 171 crash: SC to hear PIL for independent probe

Rohit’s remarks come days after he expressed suspicion of a possible "sabotage" in the crash in which Ajit Pawar was killed. He demanded action against Learjet, the private company that owned the aircraft involved in the accident.

The then-Deputy CM Ajit Pawar and four others died in the crash when the plane was attempting to land in Baramati, Pune district on January 28.

‘Ban company that owned plane’

Seeking a ban on the operations of the firm that owned the Learjet aircraft, NCP (SP) MLA said if a contractor doing substandard work is blacklisted, and an official responsible for wrongdoing is dismissed, then the same rule should apply to companies that offer air services, in case of an accident.

"Why should there be no action against an airline company that provides life-threatening services? The same standard of justice should have been applied to the VSR company (which owned the plane that crashed in Baramati)," he demanded.

Also read: Ajit Pawar crash: Nephew Rohit of NCP (SP) to raise doubts in Feb 10 presentation

By now, a criminal case should have been registered against the company and its operations stopped, Rohit Pawar maintained.

"But why is that not happening? It remains an unanswered question. Or does the owner and partner of the company wield such influence that even the government is afraid to act against them?" he asked.

The MLA said that if prominent personalities in the country, celebrities, and political leaders from across parties are availing the services of VSR company, are their lives as well as those of pilots and other staff not equally important?

"Therefore, I urge the government to take immediate action against the company and impose a ban on its operations within the country," he said.

Demands multi-agency probe

At a press conference in Mumbai on February 10, Rohit Pawar alleged there was reason to suspect sabotage in the tragic air crash that killed his uncle and demanded a comprehensive multi-agency probe into the tragedy.

Notably, NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar had ruled out conspiracy in the tragedy and termed it as an accident.

Also read: Air India Ahmedabad crash: Karti Chidambaram flags new inputs

Rohit Pawar had questioned the track record of Capt Sumit Kapoor, who was piloting the aircraft on the day of the crash on January 28, citing his suspension for three years for alcohol consumption in the past.