MUMBAI: Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has cautioned against speculating on the cause of the plane crash that claimed the life of deputy chief minister and NCP chief Ajit Pawar on January 28, saying the accident is being investigated by various agencies. He also advised against politicising the crash.
Fadnavis on Wednesday was responding to allegations raised by NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar, who is also a close relative of Ajit Pawar, that the crash was the result of sabotage. On Tuesday, Rohit Pawar also demanded an investigation by an independent agency after raising a number of questions regarding the maintenance practices of VSR Ventures, the company that owned the Learjet 45 aircraft in which Ajit Pawar was travelling; the pilot’s drinking habits; and alleged last-minute decisions taken by the company. He implied that one or more of these factors could have contributed to the crash.
Responding to these charges, Fadnavis said, “The demand for a proper investigation is not wrong. In fact, I was the first to write to the central government requesting a detailed inquiry.” He claimed that Union civil aviation minister KR Naidu ordered a formal probe following his letter. However, he said, “If we raise questions without waiting for the investigation to be completed, it will create confusion.”
The Air Safety Directorate (under the Directorate General of Civil Aviation), regarded as the highest authority for aviation accident investigations in India, is leading the inquiry. Simultaneously, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is conducting its own investigation, while the DGCA is also probing the accident.
Fadnavis said the aircraft’s black box and the rear section of the plane have been recovered. The communication between the pilot and Air Traffic Control (ATC) is available in digitised format and other crucial evidence has been collected. A forensic audit of the materials is currently underway.
“I believe people should wait for the investigation to be completed. No one should show distrust in our investigating agencies,” he remarked.
Fadnavis dismissed Rohit Pawar’s allegations, saying, “He must have said all this emotionally. One should never show distrust in our agencies and there is no reason to do so now.”
Ajit Pawar was a respected and beloved leader across party lines, said the chief minister. “He was our favourite leader, and everyone wants the truth behind the accident to come out. It will certainly emerge through the probe,” he said.