Ajit Pawar's nephew questions crash probe, claims Chandrababu Naidu-operator nexus
India Today
Rohit Pawar, nephew of late Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, has called for a probe into the operations of VSR Ventures, which came under the scanner after its aircraft carrying his uncle crashed in Baramati on January 28.
Rohit Pawar, the nephew of late Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, has demanded an investigation into the functioning of Delhi-based VSR Ventures, which has come under scrutiny after its aircraft carrying his uncle crashed in Baramati last month. Rohit Pawar also alleged a nexus between the family of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and VSR Ventures, questioning the fairness of the probe.
Raising concerns over the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau’s (AAIB) findings, Rohit Pawar, a leader from Sharad Pawar’s NCP faction, flagged the destruction of both black boxes in the post-crash fire. Speaking to ANI, Rohit Pawar pointed out that the Learjet 45 was fitted with two independent flight recorders designed to withstand extreme pressure, temperatures of up to 1,600 degrees Celsius, and even underwater conditions.
“Despite such safeguards, both recorders being rendered unusable raises serious questions,” he said, alleging that aspects of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) report appeared to favour VSR Ventures.
He also alleged that there were two possible angles to the case — political and commercial — that warranted closer scrutiny. He claimed that VSR Ventures was “not functioning properly” and warned that the safety of VIP passengers using the airline could be at risk.
Calling the January 28 crash deeply unfortunate, he said the people of Maharashtra and the Pawar family were seeking a thorough investigation, including a review of events from the previous day, January 27, and an examination of any potential criminal liability.
Rohit Pawar alleged a nexus between VSR Ventures and the family of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu. “Chandrababu Naidu’s family attended a wedding that was also graced by a VSR director. How can such an investigation be conducted transparently when the Aviation Minister is from the TDP?” Rohit Pawar said, referring to Ram Mohan Naidu.
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