Rohit Pawar stages symbolic protest; arrives at CBI HQ with lock and chain over Ajit Pawar's plane crash

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], May 29 (ANI): Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) MLA Rohit Pawar on Friday staged a symbolic protest and arrived at the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) headquarters in Pune carrying a lock and heavy metal chain, expressing dissatisfaction over the absence of a CBI probe into the death of former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash.

The incident comes four months after the crash, with Rohit Pawar alleging that no central agency has taken up a detailed investigation into the case. He said the symbolic act was aimed at highlighting what he termed inaction by investigative agencies.
Pawar alleged that since the agencies were not functioning effectively in the matter, he wanted to symbolically "lock" the office to highlight wastage of public resources and expenditure.
"If they are not investigating, what have these officers sitting in AC offices done, and what will they do? Therefore, it would be more convenient to completely stop this expenditure...How difficult is it to give a case to the CBI?" he told reporters.
Rohit Pawar has been consistently demanding a thorough investigation into the incident and has repeatedly alleged the possibility of a conspiracy behind the crash involving the aircraft carrying Ajit Pawar. He has also claimed that a "big power" is shielding VSR Ventures Pvt Ltd, the aircraft operator.
Earlier on April 28, Pawar expressed disappointment over the progress in the investigation of the Ajit Pawar plane crash case, as he met the Maharashtra CID officials in Pune.
Speaking to reporters, Pawar said that there is "nothing concrete" in the probe of the matter, highlighting the fear in the minds of people in power. He noted that officials are not taking action against VSR Ventures chief VK Singh, while reiterating claims of his relations with Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu.
Earlier on March 18, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, urging a "time-bound," "transparent," and "comprehensive" investigation into the plane crash that claimed the life of Ajit Pawar, taking forward a request by Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) MLA Rohit Pawar.
In his letter, CM Fadnavis referenced Rohit Pawar's concerns regarding the safety record of aircraft operator M/s VSR Ventures, flight crew deployment and duty norms, aircraft maintenance and airworthiness, discrepancies in flight data and records, operational decisions during landing, and the adequacy of regulatory oversight.
"In connection with the aircraft accident near Baramati on 28th January, 2026, in which Late Shri Ajit Dada Pawar, the then Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, and four other persons were travelling and tragically lost their lives, a number of concerns have been raised by public representatives regarding the circumstances leading to the incident," the letter said.
"A representation dated 4th March, 2026 has been received from MLA Shri Rohit Pawar, highlighting several issues which, according to him, warrant careful examination during the course of the investigation. The representation, inter alia, highlights the following issues for examination: 1. Safety record of the aircraft operator: Reference has been made to a previous accident involving the same operator M/s VSR Ventures, in 2023 and to reported safety observations by international aviation regulators, raising questions regarding regulatory compliance and oversight," the letter added.
Ajit Pawar died on the morning of January 28 when the Learjet 45 aircraft (VT-SSK) carrying him crash-landed while attempting to land at Baramati airport in Pune district. The aircraft went down near the runway threshold, killing all five people on board. Among the deceased were Pawar, his personal security officer, a flight attendant, and two pilots. He was travelling from Mumbai to Baramati to campaign for the Zilla Panchayat elections. (ANI)