Jay Pawar, the younger son of late NCP leader Ajit Pawar, has called for a thorough investigation into the plane crash that claimed the lives of his father and four others in Baramati, Maharashtra, on January 28.
Jay expressed concerns about the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) report which had claimed that the black box of the plane was destroyed in the crash. “The black box cannot get destroyed easily. The people of Maharashtra deserve to know the full and transparent truth behind this tragedy,” he stated in a social media post.
He also called for a ban on VSR Ventures Private Limited, the aviation company that operated the ill-fated Learjet 45XR. "A detailed and impartial investigation into potential serious lapses and irregularities by the aircraft company is necessary," he added.
Earlier, Pawar's wife, Sunetra Pawar, met with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and called for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the accident. NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar alleged that there was reason to suspect sabotage in the tragic air crash that killed his uncle Ajit Pawar.
Another NCP leader, Praful Patel, had held the aviation company responsible for the crash.
According to the AAIB report, the aircraft was equipped with two independent flight recorders, both of which were exposed to intense heat during the crash and sustained significant fire damage. However, the report confirmed that the Digital Flight Data Recorder (DFDR), manufactured by L3 Communications, was successfully downloaded at the AAIB Flight Recorder Laboratory.
The agency further noted that the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR), made by Honeywell, is currently undergoing a detailed technical examination.
Ajit Pawar, 66, the longest-serving Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, was traveling to Baramati for a rally related to the Zilla Parishad elections when the chartered aircraft crashed and went up in flames.
According to a government release, the Learjet had been cleared for landing at Baramati after a go-around due to poor visibility. However, after receiving final clearance, the aircraft failed to respond to air traffic control (ATC) and moments later burst into flames near the runway's edge.
