Mumbai: NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), alleging a massive cover-up in the investigation into the plane crash that claimed the life of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar January 28.
This marks the third press conference by Rohit Pawar regarding the incident, following previous briefings February 10 and 19.
Presenting video evidence and screenshots, Pawar claimed the official report is riddled with factual errors and appears designed to protect influential individuals and the aviation company, VSR.
Rohit Pawar expressed deep suspicion regarding the integrity of the probe. “I am not against VSR or the DGCA personally, but it is evident that someone is using the DGCA to shield these companies,” he stated.
“Is this ‘save-the-guilty’ program happening at the behest of a powerful individual? If so, the truth behind whether Ajit Dada’s death was an accident or a conspiracy will never surface,” he said.
Rohit Pawar highlighted several technical discrepancies in the AAIB report with regard to flight hours and fuel levels.
While the report suggests the aircraft had remaining flight hours, Pawar claimed the plane had exceeded its official engine life by over 3,000 hours.
“The aircraft reportedly carried 90-95 per cent fuel capacity,” he said.
Pawar questioned why such an excessive amount of fuel was loaded if the flight plan was standard, suggesting it might have been “intentional.”
He further brought to notice the left vs right discrepancy. Using a video of the crash, he pointed out a basic observational error. “The report claims the plane banked to the right, but the footage clearly shows it tilting to the left. If they can’t even get the direction of the fall right, how can we trust the rest of the report?” he asked.
Rohit Pawar mocked the seriousness of the investigators, noting that the official report erroneously refers to Baramati as a “district” and describes the Baramati Municipal Council as a “Municipal Corporation.”
“If they cannot get basic geography right after a month of investigation, how serious were they about the technicalities?” he asked.
He further noted that the report claims the plane hit trees, whereas the crash site only contained small shrubs that the aircraft never even touched.
He alleged that there seems to be a pre-planned conspiracy. He stated that locals reported seeing unidentified individuals conducting a reconnaissance of the area days before the crash.
“We demand that the CBI and CID investigate the criminal angle. When we ask the CID, they say they are waiting for the DGCA report. But this report is full of holes,” Pawar said.
He also questioned why the names of the investigation team members were omitted from the final document — a departure from standard practice seen in previous crash reports.
Rohit Pawar raised questions regarding the decision to fly in low visibility. He cited the Tyagi Committee recommendations (formed after the death of Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy), which strictly prohibit VIP movement in poor visibility.
He demanded an FIR against ‘Aero’ company officials, alleging they provided false clearance regarding weather conditions.
Rohit Pawar concluded by stating that the absence of Black Box photos in the report further proves that facts are being manipulated to mislead the public.
