Jay Pawar seeks probe into Baramati plane crash.
He sought ban on VSR Ventures, operator of ill-fated Learjet 45XR that crashed near Baramati airstrip.
Jay Pawar Demands Truth in Father’s Plane Crash: ‘Black Box Can’t Just Vanish’
Imagine losing your dad – a towering political giant – in a fiery plane wreck, then watching questions pile up like wreckage. That’s Jay Pawar, the younger son of late Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, breaking his silence three weeks after the unimaginable. On February 18, Jay fired off a social media post that’s raw with pain and resolve: “The black box cannot get destroyed easily. The people of Maharashtra have the right to know the transparent and whole truth.” He’s calling for a no-holds-barred probe into “possible serious lapses” and wants VSR Ventures Private Limited – the operators of that doomed Learjet 45XR – banned outright.
It hits like a punch. Ajit Pawar, 66, the NCP stalwart who’d survived political storms from splits to alliances, perished on January 28 near Baramati airstrip. He was en route from Mumbai for Zilla Parishad election rallies – classic Ajit, always hustling for Baramati’s voters. The jet went down in thick fog during a second landing attempt on tabletop Runway 11. CCTV caught the horror: it flips, slams a field, erupts in flames. Ajit, two pilots (Capt. Sumit Kapoor and Shambhavi Pathak), a PSO, and an attendant – all gone. Bodies charred beyond recognition; Ajit ID’d by his watch.
Jay’s not alone in the fury. His stepmother, Sunetra Pawar (now Deputy CM), and NCP brass met CM Devendra Fadnavis the day before, pushing hard for a CBI probe. Rohit Pawar, Ajit’s nephew from the NCP(SP) faction, went further last week: “Sabotage can’t be ruled out.” He grilled pilot Kapoor’s past – suspended three years for booze on duty. VSR’s owner VK Singh swore the 16-year-old jet was “100% safe,” but whispers of maintenance shortcuts linger.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is scrambling. Black boxes? Damaged by fire, they say, seeking global help for CVR data recovery. Fog was brutal – 800m visibility, no night-landing aids at Baramati. ATC cleared landing at 8:43 AM; flames spotted by 8:44. No crew readback. Pilot warned mid-air. Experts eye unstable “short finals” on that tricky runway overhanging a drop.
As a Maharashtrian who’s seen Pawar politics up close – barbs over irrigation scams, family feuds – this feels personal. Ajit was flawed but fierce: six terms as Deputy CM, Baramati’s kingmaker. His death orphans Jay and elder son Parth, thrusting them into a viper pit. Jay’s plea? Heartfelt: “Detailed, impartial probe into VSR’s irregularities. Ban them till truth outs.” It’s grief weaponized – demanding accountability when bureaucracy drags.
Baramati mourns still. Memorials overflowed; Ajit’s rites drew lakhs. Fadnavis vowed probes, but families smell politics. Was it fog alone, or pilot error? Shoddy upkeep? Worse – sabotage amid NCP rifts? Rohit’s barbs sting; rival Pawars never buried the hatchet post-2023 split.
I’ve chatted with locals post-crash: farmers who idolized Ajit, pilots wary of charter ops. VSR’s no fly-by-night; they shuttle VIPs. But corners cut? A ban makes sense – ground ’em, scrutinize logs, parts. DGCA’s involved; Naidu assured swift action. Yet black box woes scream urgency. Fireproof? Sure, but flames devour.
Jay’s voice cracks with humanity: not vengeance, but closure. Maharashtra deserves facts – was it avoidable? For Parth, campaigning amid grief; Sunetra, holding fort; Jay, shielding legacy. Aviation’s wake-up: upgrade regional strips, vet charters, train relentless.
This tragedy echoes – 1990s crashes, VIP oversights. But Ajit’s loss reshapes politics: Fadnavis stronger? NCP fractures deepen? Jay steps up, echoing dad’s grit. “Whole truth,” he insists. Let’s hope probes deliver – CBI, AAIB, whatever. For five lives snuffed, Maharashtra aches. Fly safe, folks. And Pawars? Chin up – truth heals.