NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar is demanding transparency and raising concerns about potential blame-shifting in the investigation into the fatal Learjet crash that killed Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar and four others.
NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar has questioned if VSR Ventures owner V K Singh was trying to hold the pilot of the Learjet aircraft responsible for the crash that killed Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar and four others in January.
The Crime Investigation Department questioned Singh and recorded his statement last week, a CID officer had said, without disclosing details.
The CID has not issued any statement about the details regarding Singh's questioning.
A Learjet 45 aircraft, operated by VSR Ventures, crashed near the Baramati air strip in Pune district on January 28, killing Ajit Pawar and four others.
Citing reports in a section of media about a submission purportedly made by Singh to CID, Rohit Pawar in a post on X on Monday said, "What exactly was recorded in the black box has still not been revealed. If that is the case, how did VSR company owner V K Singh come to know within a short time of the crash that it was the pilot's fault?"
"If this gentleman is declaring that the pilot was at fault and washing his hands of the matter, it appears as though he is trying to shift the blame onto someone else while keeping himself out of it," he added.
Until authorities release concrete and credible information about the plane crash, people should not believe any discussions or baseless claims, the NCP (SP) MLA said.
"The CID has said that the investigation into Ajit Dada's plane crash is still underway. It is even difficult to talk about the credibility of the recent preliminary report by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB)," he stated.
At times, reports say the black box of the plane was burnt, while at other times it is claimed that the data has been recovered, the legislator pointed out.
"Meanwhile, the investigating agencies are maintaining complete silence on the matter," he added.