4 min readNew DelhiFeb 25, 2026 04:45 PM IST
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others lost their lives in a plane crash in Baramati on January 28, sending shockwaves across political and social circles. In the weeks following the tragedy, veteran actor Nana Patekar paid a visit to Pawar’s wife, Sunetra Pawar and his family. After meeting the family, Nana spoke about his long-standing bond with Pawar, describing the loss as deeply personal.
Talking about the grief being endured by the family, especially Sunetra Pawar, Nana said that such pain cannot be fully shared by outsiders.
Nana Patekar mourns Ajit Pawar’s death
“The grief she is facing cannot be shared by anyone else. We too are saddened, but their pain is like a mountain — they will have to endure it themselves. Along with this loss, the responsibilities he carried as Deputy Chief Minister will also now have to be handled by her. It will take time,” Nana told ANI. “Whatever question you are asking, you think that I am an all-knowing person. I am just an ordinary person,” he said. Referring to the investigation, he added, “The Chief Minister said that the black box has been recovered. He will get the truth.”
Nana recalls his friendship with Ajit Pawar
He also recalled his decades-old friendship with Pawar. “I’ve known Dada since he was 19 or 20. He had started working as a party worker back then. Today, when someone becomes big, many claim they knew him — but now he is no longer here, so there is no point in saying such things. What matters is the incredible journey he had — from his beginnings to reaching such a significant position. I will always miss him. He was my very dear friend, like a younger brother to me.”
As speculation around the circumstances of the crash continues, Nana expressed confidence that clarity would eventually emerge. “Questions are being raised, and answers will surely come. What the Pawar family chooses to do is their internal matter. I stand with them in their grief.”
#WATCH | Mumbai | On the demise of former Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, Actor Nana Patekar says,” We are saddened by it (demise of Ajit Pawar)….It all depends on the two parties (the merger of two factions of the NCP)…I knew him since he was 19-20 years old and had… pic.twitter.com/EIyWkbMMMA
— ANI (@ANI) February 12, 2026
Nana’s son Malhar shares unseen pics of Ajit Pawar with the actor
Earlier, Nana’s son Malhar Patekar had shared rare and unseen photographs of Ajit Pawar spending time with the Patekar family at their farmhouse in Donje, near Pune. The images captured private moments during Pawar’s visits.
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In a note accompanying the photos, Malhar wrote, “The passing away of Honourable Ajit Dada Pawar Saheb is a personal loss to us. He is family to us, and will remain so all our lives. Unforgettable memories with him, and hence irreparable damage done.”
DGCA grounds four Learjet aircrafts
Meanwhile, in a key development related to the accident, aviation safety regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has grounded four aircraft operated by VSR Ventures, the charter company whose Learjet 45 was involved in the crash.
“The multi-disciplinary audit team observed several non-compliances of approved procedures in the organisation in the area of airworthiness, air safety, and flight operations. In view of the non-compliances observed and considering the gaps in maintenance procedures it is decided to initiate the corrective measures by immediately grounding Learjet 40/45 aircraft with registration VT-VRA, VT-VRS, VT-VRV, and VT-TRI till continued airworthiness standards are restored,” the DGCA said in a statement.
