Pune, March 5 The Maharashtra Crime Investigation Department questioned V K Singh, the owner of VSR Ventures, on Thursday. VSR Ventures operated the aircraft that crashed near Baramati, killing Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, according to a CID official.
"The statement of V K Singh is being recorded," said the CID official, without providing further details about the questioning, which was still ongoing.
A Learjet 45 aircraft, operated by VSR Ventures, crashed near the Baramati airstrip in Pune district on January 28, killing Pawar and four others.
Following the plane crash, an accidental death report was registered at the Baramati Taluka police station, and the case was later transferred to the Pune CID. Earlier, the state agency had said that its focus was to determine whether sabotage or criminal negligence led to the Baramati tragedy.
A few days before V K Singh's questioning, the CID had sent a set of questions to VSR Ventures in connection with its investigation into the plane crash, according to a source.
NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar had alleged on Wednesday that someone was trying to protect VSR Ventures, and claimed that a preliminary probe by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) vindicated the doubts earlier raised by him.
In its 22-page preliminary report on the air tragedy, the AAIB said that the visibility at the time of the crash was below the required level. It also flagged fading markings on the runway and the presence of loose gravel on the runway surface.
A few days ago, Ajit Pawar's son Jay Pawar had shared a purported video on social media alleging that V K Singh's son, Rohit Singh, was seen dozing off in the chief pilot's seat during a flight, and demanded his immediate arrest.
He had also demanded that all aircraft of VSR Ventures be grounded until the inquiry into his father's plane crash is completed.
