4 min readMumbaiFeb 18, 2026 01:17 PM IST
NCP SP MLA Rohit Pawar on Wednesday demanded a criminal investigation into the January 28 aircraft crash that killed Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and sought the removal of Union Civil Aviation Minister and Telugu Desam Party leader K Rammohan Naidu from the portfolio until the inquiry is completed.
Addressing a press conference in Mumbai, his second on the issue, Pawar alleged that the minister and his party have proven “friendly” relations with the owners of VSR Ventures, which operated the crashed aircraft, and said a fair inquiry is unlikely while the minister continues in office.
He also alleged a nexus between the Directorate General of Civil Aviation and VSR Ventures, claiming that the probe was being delayed to shield the company and its investors through backdated documentation. Pawar demanded the constitution of a high level monitoring panel to oversee the investigation. “This committee should include former bureaucrats, former judges, Lok Sabha’s leader of opposition since Maharashtra does not have LoP and family members. And the probe should be monitored by this committee,” he demanded.
Raising questions about the company’s alleged links with political leaders, Pawar said, “Around a year ago, a senior TDP leader attended the wedding of VSR’s owner’s son in Rajasthan. A private jet of a minister from Andhra Pradesh is run by this company. A business group from Andhra has invested in ths company. The minister has already given clean chit to VSR. How can anyone expect a fair and impartial probe into this incident from the ministry which is controlled by the TDP? The minister should be removed from the portfolio at the earliest.”
Pawar also referred to documents related to the aircraft’s certification. Holding up a certificate of airworthiness issued by the DGCA dated September 16, 2021, he said, “But the certificate of registration is on December 27, 2022. Who allowed this? The aircraft was purchased from the USA and it had exhausted Time Before Overhauling, which means the engine life was ended. In addition, the mandatory fulfillment of Supplemental Type Certificate has not been made by the VSR,” he alleged.
He further claimed, “The reason for delay in the preliminary probe report is that DGCA and VSR are hand in glove and backdated paperwork in being done to protect the company. We demand that the probe should not rely on papers but must submit digital records as well.”
Questioning the status of the special audit ordered by the ministry, Pawar pointed to the February 2 order constituting a six member committee to conduct an audit of VSR Ventures, with the report to be submitted by February 15. “It has yet not been submitted. Can anyone explain the reason behind this delay? Two members, Captain Apoorva Agarwal and Captain Lokesh Rampal are not type rated for Learjet 45 aircraft and are still added in this committee. Why is it so?” he asked.
Story continues below this ad
Pawar also claimed that Rohit Singh, son of the company’s owner, had left the country. “How and why was he allowed to leave India? It raises serious questions,” he said, adding that Singh is currently in Miami, Florida.
Referring to a demand for a CBI inquiry made by leaders of the ruling NCP in a letter to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Pawar said, “Yesterday, a demand was made regarding the CBI inquiry. It is good. But it was made 20 days after the incident. It is too late.”
He further alleged that since he began raising questions about the crash, BJP supporters had targeted him online. “I don’t know why they are getting nervous. I don’t know whether they are acting on their own or have been asked to do so. A BJP troller called Sumit Thakker had said two days before the incident that there will be some incident in two days which will change Maharashtra’s politics and deleted it within minutes. He will not be spared for sure,” said Pawar.
