Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut raised serious questions over the plane crash that killed Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, calling the incident “suspicious” and demanding a thorough investigation.
Addressing the media, Raut said questions were bound to arise given Ajit Pawar’s stature in Maharashtra politics and the circumstances leading up to the crash. He claimed that facts emerging after the incident pointed to something “dubious” and alleged that developments prior to Pawar’s death needed closer scrutiny.
Raut alleged that Ajit Pawar had expressed a desire to “return home” and was subsequently threatened by BJP leaders with files related to the Sinchan scam. He further claimed that Pawar had responded to those allegations before his “mysterious” death within ten days, suggesting that events behind the scenes may have played a role. Drawing a parallel with the death of Justice B H Loya, Raut asked whether “someone did something here”.
Sanjay Raut has also said earlier that it is “inhuman” to talk about the leadership of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) just after the tragic death of its president and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.
Earlier, Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, replying to a letter from Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, said the black box of the ill-fated aircraft had been recovered and taken into custody.
Naidu informed that the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), under the Union Civil Aviation Ministry, has initiated a probe into the crash, which also claimed the lives of four others on board.
“As per the Aircraft Accident and Incident Rules, the investigation has begun and will be conducted in a transparent and time-bound manner,” the Civil Aviation Minister said in his communication.
Ajit Pawar died in the plane crash that occurred in Baramati on January 28, triggering widespread political reactions and calls for accountability.
Days later, Sunetra Pawar, wife of late Nationalist Congress Party (AP) chief Ajit Pawar, took oath as Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra at a ceremony held at the Lok Bhavan in Mumbai on Saturday. She became the first woman to hold the post, previously held by Ajit Pawar.
