The official story of the deadly January 28 plane crash of Ajit Paw, the deputy CM of Maharashtra has sparked a firestorm when Maharashtra NCP leader Rohit Pawar flew wildly collecting facts that the trip between Mumbai and Pune was not planned. Rohit had made an explosive Mumbai presser in which he not only hinted at a possible sabotage conspiracy behind the Learjet tragedy that claimed 5 lives, but also claimed that Ajit Dada was a very cautious flier who had ordered a complete road convoy.
Shocking Revelations of Rohit.
In one of the events of NCP, Rohit Pawar outlined glaring anomalies in the crash time. It is a convoy of Dada that was about to roll out of Mumbai to Baramati, the evening before, after the cabinet meeting. An east Vidarbha visitor came in at the last moment with a file to scrap a political consultant contract – holding everything up, he said. A Learjet was hastily reserved to fly at 8.10 AM, contrary to the 7 AM slot of Ajit Pawar at night.
Rohit stressed the fact that Pawar had an aversion to air travel: “Dada never flew down to Mumbai-Pune on casual flights. He was delusional about the safety after the 2019 chopper accidents. The table-top Baramati airstrip, which is so perilous, increased dangers during a foggy morning.
Conspiracy Doubts Surface
When Ajit Dada crashed, Rohit had claimed that the crash was a part of a conspiracy and required an international investigation. Key red flags:
- Pilot Silence: “Why no Mayday? Why was he silent when the aircraft tipped over?
- Aircraft Lapses: There are questions raised regarding the maintenance of the charter firm, the 5,000-hour log of the pilot in question.
- Timing Suspicion: Scheduled a senior leader to meet an unnamed person, a few hours before the crash.
- Delayed Departure: 70 minutes wait on the clearance runway.
Rohit Pawar threatened to investigate NCP-SP: “We have checked books that such accidents do not always go unnoticed. Sharad Pawar holds an accidental position, although the Wikipedia edit theories were leaked by the party insiders before the crash.
Fallout on Politics Worsens.
The Baramati accident – Learjet rolled off the runway, and burst into flames – left NCP without any side to the conflict. The demise of Ajit Pawar makes nephew Rohit heir-apparent which poses a challenge to the SP dominance of Supriya Sule. YBC allies lament, BJP condoles, looking at NCP (Ajit faction) assimilation.
Maharashtra reels: Baramati calls off Republic Day; 50,000 people’s funeral. Judicial inquiry ordered by Governor CP Radhakrishnan, but Rohit insists on CBI and US NTSB specialists on the American jet.
Crash Timeline Unravels
January 27: Cabinet adjourns at 6 PM; convoy preparations. Vidarbha leader postpones; flight reserves 11 PM.
28 January: 8: 10 AM departure, 8:45 AM Baramati approach. Tower visibility forced (200m) not clear; pilot requests cleared. Jet belly-lands, a cartwheel, goes off.
Five killed: Ajit Pawar (64), captain of the plane, Vikram Singh, pilot, and two aides. Black box decoded: no engine failure, snag of hydraulic origin.
NCP’s Leadership Vacuum
The death of Ajit Pawar (after Ladki Bahin flak and Delhi row on disguise) is a decapitation of NCP (A). Inheriting sugar belt clout, Rohit Pawar, 42, eyes Baramati LS seat. Sharad Pawar, 85, postpones family togetherness, yet EC freezes NCP symbol until merger clarity.
Opposition reeks of politics: Why no convoy security footage? Who pushed the flight?” Special Parliament session on demand of Congress.
Bigger Maharashtra Shakeup.
Devendra Fadnavis takes up an additional portfolio of finance; Eknath Shinde unifies Shiv Sena. Ajit is assembling bypolls against the Pune cantonment seat.
The bombshell of Rohit brings back the aviation scandals of the 1990s; the DGCA suspends other similar charters. Families request runway CCTV – blank as black.
Rohit Pawar is a self-centred, paranoid, and arguably unfortunate, and as the probe kicks off, his prudent uncle steps in as a tragic hero or conspiracy victim. Maharashtra watches: the plot of accidents or assassination? NCP is facing an identity crisis as Baramati appeals to its strongman weeps.
