An initial probe by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has flagged some issues in the sudden crash of Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar's flight on Wednesday morning at a field in Pune's Baramati area.
Hours after the deadly crash, the AAIB probe took place at the Mahipalpur office of VSR Aviation, the private charter firm that operated the Bombardier Learjet 45 that had carried Pawar and four others, none of whom survived.
The AAIB investigators found that several people in the office compound had suddenly gone missing. However, the gatekeeper reportedly denied—multiple times, in fact—having any information about the missing people, an Indian Express report said.
Finding this suspicious, the AAIB officials stayed at the scene until an employee arrived to open the office. Another entered the office a while later, after which the AAIB's interrogations took place inside.
The report also mentions a locked door to a basement that the investigators suspected was connected to the main office. However, they were surprised when they allegedly found this door locked from the inside, which they claimed was strange, if no one was there in the office compound.
This also comes after the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) flagged issues with the Learjet flight's journey.
One of the key issues under the lens is the fact that the private jet flew for about half an hour after taking off from Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport at 8:10 AM, after which it allegedly disappeared from the radar near Baramati, as per flight tracking data.
Other issues that don't add up include the fact that a 'mayday' call was not issued. The landing attempt has also raised eyebrows, as it was the second attempt after the pilots attempted a go-around claiming poor visibility.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) official Anurag Dhanda has also questioned why Pawar had been flown in a plane that had crashed 2-3 years ago, as per an ANI report.
"Questions are being raised, and many journalists are asking on social media and elsewhere why a previously crashed plane was used for VIP duty? Who was behind assigning this duty and approving it?" he said.
The AAIB is next expected to analyse data from the fatal flight's black box as the probe continues.