Mumbai, April 20 (NationPress) Legislator Rohit Pawar of the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP-SP) asserted on Monday that the CBI's recent arrest of the Deputy Director from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)’s Airworthiness Department has unveiled a network of corruption within the organization. He emphasized that the individual detained is merely a small fish, with far larger individuals still swimming free in these waters.

In a post shared on X, Rohit Pawar highlighted his persistent calls for an FIR, a CBI investigation, and accountability for DGCA officials related to the tragic plane crash that claimed the life of former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. He stated, “The CBI has taken action by arresting the Deputy Director from DGCA's Airworthiness Department, leading to the registration of an FIR. Our ongoing concerns about the presence of corrupt officials in DGCA have now been substantiated. This arrest only represents a small fish; the bigger players in this organization remain unaddressed.”

He further commented, “If operations within DGCA are being conducted through bribery, one must wonder how V K Singh, known for his expertise in bribery and as a middleman, might have manipulated the documentation related to Dada's accident.”

“Despite our request to transfer the investigation into Ajit Dada's accident to the CBI two months ago, there has been no action. Conversely, the CBI is now taking suo motu steps in this matter, which is noteworthy. This might be an indirect signal or warning to the TDP ministry, indicating why the TDP is adhering to the Central Government's directives regarding the delimitation issue, regardless of regional sentiments,” he alleged.

Rohit Pawar has consistently voiced concerns about systemic corruption within DGCA and the safety standards of the private charter involved. He suspects that sabotage may have contributed to the crash, pointing to a “disturbing web of corruption” linking charter operator VSR Ventures and DGCA officials.

The NCP(SP) legislator reiterated his claims that flying hours for the pilot were fabricated to satisfy regulatory standards and alleged that the Cockpit Voice Recorders (CVRs) were intentionally manipulated or muted through clandestine payments to conceal safety failures.

Pawar has questioned how the Learjet 45 was permitted to operate in light of prior technical malfunctions and alleged financial discrepancies within the operator's management. He has reached out to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu, urging a thorough and transparent investigation.

He has compiled a detailed presentation that outlines the discrepancies in the official narrative regarding the crash, which he submitted to the Home Ministry and DGCA.