In Pune/Mumbai, February 26 The Maharashtra Crime Investigation Department (CID) announced on Thursday that its investigation into the Baramati plane crash, which resulted in the death of then deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, is focused on determining whether the tragedy was caused by sabotage or criminal negligence.
Rohit Pawar, an MLA from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), who has been questioning the circumstances surrounding the incident and demanding an FIR against the company that operated the aircraft due to alleged negligence, gave a statement to the CID, which is investigating the January 28 crash.
The issue was also raised in the Maharashtra legislative council during the day, with the council chairman directing the state government to present the facts related to the air crash to the House.
Speaking at a press conference, Sunil Ramanand, Additional Director General of Police (CID), said the investigation is being conducted in a detailed and professional manner.
"The purpose of the CID investigation is to determine whether there was any foul play in the plane crash. It will also examine whether there was any criminal negligence. Thirdly, the investigation will ascertain whether any criminal act, including illegal omissions, led to the crash," he said.
Once the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) submits its report, the findings will be included in the CID investigation, the ADG said, adding that the CID has collected several pieces of evidence.
If any criminal angle, including negligence or sabotage, is established, the CID will register a case, said Ramanand.
Rohit Pawar, who is Ajit Pawar's nephew, visited the CID headquarters in Pune and met officials. He gave them a statement under section 180 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), he told reporters later.
Under this section, an investigating officer can record the statement of any person "who is supposed to be acquainted with the facts and circumstances of the case."
Pawar said that after the Mumbai as well as Baramati police did not register a First Information Report, he met CID officials and sought registration of an FIR against VSR Ventures.
VSR Ventures operated the Learjet 45 aircraft which crashed on January 28 with Ajit Pawar and four others on board.
"Since the CID also did not register our FIR, I gave a statement under section 180 of the BNSS, and it has been accepted," he said.
He expected that the CID would call him to record his statement as he possesses a lot of details about the case, but the probe agency did not call him, the NCP (SP) MLA said.
When he asked the CID officials about the Directorate General of Civil Aviation's latest report which ordered that four aircraft of VSR Ventures be grounded for non-compliance with safety norms, the officials said they had not seen the report, Rohit claimed.
"The CID remained silent on the DGCA report on VSR during its press conference. Officials said they had not yet read the report," he added.
Earlier in the morning, accompanied by a large number of supporters holding placards demanding “justice” for the late NCP chief, Rohit Pawar and his cousin Yugendra Pawar visited Baramati taluka police station and submitted a complaint, seeking an FIR against VSR Ventures.
"We had a long discussion. We cited several legal provisions to support our demand for FIR. However, they informed that DGCA and AAIB are already carrying out a probe," said Rohit Pawar.
"I told them that AAIB is probing the technical angle in the crash and not the criminal angle. Our demand is that criminal negligence in the crash be probed. We cited the recent DGCA report in which they ordered the grounding of aircraft of VSR Ventures over non-compliance,” said the MLA.
If there were issues with the company’s aircraft, why was one of them offered to Ajit Pawar on January 28, he asked.
Rohit Pawar also reiterated his demand for the resignation of Union Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu and claimed that VSR Ventures had links with leaders of the TDP, the party to which Naidu belongs.
He also targeted senior NCP leader Praful Patel, calling him an experienced person as far as aviation is concerned. Patel (who was civil aviation minister in the UPA government) should have helped them in the fight “seeking justice for Ajit dada”, Pawar said.
The DGCA on Tuesday ordered the grounding of four aircraft of VSR Ventures over non-compliance with approved procedures in the areas of airworthiness, air safety and flight operations.
Yugendra Pawar -- the grandnephew of NCP founder Sharad Pawar and son of Ajit Pawar's younger brother -- claimed the DGCA, in its report, pointed to criminal negligence on the part of VSR Ventures. “If criminal negligence is established, then an FIR should be registered against the firm,” he said.
After the plane crash, an accidental death report was registered at the Baramati Taluka police station, and the case was later transferred to the CID.
Speaking to reporters in Maharashtra's Latur district, RPI chief and Union minister Ramdas Athawale said he did not believe that there was any conspiracy behind the plane crash, but the CBI should nevertheless probe the incident.
NCP (SP)'s Shashikant Shinde moved an adjournment motion in the legislative council, demanding a discussion while mentioning the DGCA order.
Council chairman Ram Shinde rejected the motion. He, however, said, "Looking at the gravity of the issue, I am directing the state government to issue a statement and lay out before the House the facts."