Rahul Gandhi Demands Thorough Investigation into Ajit Pawar's Fatal Plane Crash
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Key Takeaways
New Delhi, March 12 (NationPress) Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, has called for a "fair, transparent, and impartial investigation" into the unfortunate demise of former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who tragically lost his life in a plane crash on January 28 in Baramati.
Gandhi resonated with the Pawar family's plea for a comprehensive inquiry into the incident, which they are suspecting could be an ``attempt`` on the life of the late Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader.
In a statement on the social media platform X, Rahul Gandhi remarked, "NCP-SP leader Rohit Pawar visited me today and handed over a letter highlighting serious concerns regarding the investigation into the Baramati aircraft disaster that took Ajit Pawar ji and others' lives."
"Fundamental legal principles seem to have been overlooked, and no FIR has been registered despite the gravity of the situation. This case necessitates a fair, transparent, and impartial probe," he emphasized.
The demand arises from the crash of a private aircraft carrying the esteemed NCP leader, which occurred under obscure circumstances.
Given the high-profile nature of the victim, the Maharashtra government swiftly assigned the case to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), while the Central government initiated a parallel CBI investigation to eliminate any possibilities of foul play or mechanical failure.
Nevertheless, delays in the final report have spurred speculation within political circles.
An NCP delegation, including a Minister and MLAs, submitted a memorandum to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday, urging for an accelerated investigation.
Previously, Rohit Pawar advocated for a deeper inquiry to ascertain whether the incident was indeed a genuine accident.
According to NCP-SP leader Rohit Pawar, visibility was extremely poor on the day of the crash, measuring only 3,000 meters.
He stated that the aircraft's pilot, Captain Sumit Kapoor, had reached out to the owner of VSR Ventures, V.K. Singh, to inform him that take-off was impossible due to adverse weather conditions.
"Captain Kapoor explicitly conveyed to V.K. Singh that visibility was poor and that the plane could not proceed. However, Singh reportedly insisted that he should take off, saying, 'You take off, I will handle the rest later,'" claimed Rohit Pawar during a press conference.