NCP MP Parth Pawar flies VSR Ventures jet amid safety row over father's crash
Synopsis
Parth Pawar's 'unwitting' flight aboard a VSR Ventures jet — the same company linked to his father Ajit Pawar's fatal crash — erupted into a political row after cousin Rohit Pawar publicly alleged safety violations and flagged ₹145 crore in government payments to VSR Ventures in the three days surrounding the tragedy.
Key Takeaways
NCP MP Parth Pawar flew a VSR Ventures jet from Mumbai to Pune on 28 April , hours after cousin Rohit Pawar held a press conference alleging safety violations by the same company.
VSR Ventures was the charter firm whose aircraft crashed on 28 January 2026 , killing former Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar .
Parth called the booking an "administrative-level error" and said he was unaware of the operator until he boarded; he announced immediate cancellation of the agent's agreement.
Rohit Pawar alleged visibility at Baramati airport was below the required 3 km on crash day, and that the company owner pressured the crew to fly despite pilot warnings.
A VSR Learjet (VT-VRR) bound for Dubai suffered a takeoff failure due to flap malfunctions on 25 April 2026 , according to Rohit Pawar.
Rohit Pawar flagged ₹145 crore in government payments to VSR Ventures between 27–29 January 2026 , part of over ₹210 crore paid to aviation companies in 2025-26 , and has demanded an inquiry.
NCP MP Parth Pawar on Tuesday, 28 April found himself at the centre of a political storm after he travelled from Mumbai to Pune aboard a private jet operated by VSR Ventures — the same charter company whose aircraft was involved in the 28 January 2026 plane crash that claimed the life of his father, former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. The timing of the flight proved particularly sensitive, coming just hours after Parth's cousin and NCP (SP) legislator Rohit Pawar held a press conference levelling serious safety allegations against the very same company.
How the Flight Was Booked
Parth Pawar, in a post on X, stated that he had urgently needed to travel to Modi Baug, Pune, to meet NCP patriarch Sharad Pawar, and had instructed his office to arrange a flight at short notice. He said that due to last-minute arrangements, a VSR Aviation flight was "unwittingly" booked, and that he had no knowledge of the operator's identity until he reached the airport and boarded the aircraft. He described the episode as "merely an administrative-level error" and announced that he was immediately cancelling the agreement with the agent responsible for the booking.
Parth added that clear instructions have since been issued to his staff to remain more vigilant. "The controversy being created over this is completely baseless, misleading, and unfortunate," he wrote, urging against attempts to "politicise it without understanding the true situation." He also reaffirmed that his position on VSR Aviation "remains the same today" and that his opposition to the company "will continue to be so."
Rohit Pawar's Safety Allegations Against VSR Ventures
Earlier on Tuesday, Rohit Pawar addressed a press conference in which he outlined a series of alleged safety violations by VSR Ventures. He claimed that on the day of the 28 January 2026 crash, visibility at Baramati airport was reportedly below the required 3 km threshold. Despite warnings from Chief Pilot Captain Sumit Kapoor, it is alleged that the company's owner pressured the crew to proceed with the flight.
Rohit Pawar further cited a more recent incident on 25 April 2026, involving a VSR Learjet (VT-VRR) bound for Dubai, which reportedly suffered a takeoff failure due to flap malfunctions. He argued that this incident reinforces a pattern of operating what he described as "dilapidated and dangerous" aircraft.
Payments to VSR Ventures Under Scrutiny
A key financial allegation raised by Rohit Pawar concerns a surge in government payments to aviation companies during the 2025-26 fiscal year, which he said totalled over ₹210 crore. Notably, he flagged that ₹145 crore were reportedly released to VSR Ventures within just three days surrounding the crash — specifically between 27 and 29 January 2026. He has formally called for an inquiry into why such large payments were cleared during the period of the tragedy, describing the timing as deeply concerning.
Political and Family Dimensions
The episode adds a fresh layer of complexity to the already fractured Pawar family dynamics. The NCP split in 2023 divided the family politically, with Rohit Pawar aligned with the NCP (Sharad Pawar) faction and Parth Pawar with the NCP (Ajit Pawar) faction. This controversy comes as both factions are still navigating the aftermath of Ajit Pawar's death in the January 2026 crash. The payments allegation, if substantiated, could widen the political fallout beyond a family dispute into a matter of public accountability. An official response from VSR Ventures or the Maharashtra government on the payment claims is yet to be made public.
Point of View
But it is politically devastating for Parth Pawar — a man whose father died in a VSR aircraft just three months ago. The more consequential thread, however, is the ₹145 crore payment allegation: if government funds of that scale were cleared to VSR Ventures in the 48 hours around the crash, it demands a transparent audit, not a press statement. The Pawar family's political split means this controversy will be weaponised across factional lines, but the payment question transcends family politics and goes to the heart of how Maharashtra's government aviation contracts are awarded and monitored.
NationPress
1 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Parth Pawar fly a VSR Ventures jet?
Parth Pawar said he urgently needed to reach Modi Baug, Pune, to meet Sharad Pawar, and instructed his office to arrange a last-minute flight. He stated the VSR Aviation booking was an 'administrative-level error' and that he was unaware of the operator until he boarded the aircraft.
What is VSR Ventures' connection to Ajit Pawar's death?
VSR Ventures is the charter company whose aircraft was involved in the plane crash on 28 January 2026 that killed former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who is Parth Pawar's father.
What safety allegations has Rohit Pawar made against VSR Ventures?
Rohit Pawar alleged that visibility at Baramati airport was below the required 3 km on the day of the January 2026 crash, and that the company owner pressured the crew to fly despite warnings from Chief Pilot Captain Sumit Kapoor. He also cited a 25 April 2026 incident where a VSR Learjet bound for Dubai failed to take off due to flap malfunctions.
What are the allegations about government payments to VSR Ventures?
Rohit Pawar has alleged that ₹145 crore was released to VSR Ventures within three days surrounding the January 2026 crash (27–29 January), as part of over ₹210 crore paid to aviation companies during the 2025-26 fiscal year. He has called for a formal inquiry into the timing of these payments.
What action has Parth Pawar taken following the controversy?
Parth Pawar announced he is immediately cancelling the agreement with the agent who booked the VSR flight, and has issued instructions to his staff to be more vigilant in future. He maintained that his opposition to VSR Aviation remains unchanged.
