Baramati plane crash: Maharashtra CID questions VSR Ventures owner

CID interrogates VSR Ventures owner following Baramati plane crash that killed Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and others.

The Maharashtra Crime Investigation Department (CID) on Thursday (March 5, 2025) questioned V.K. Singh, owner of VSR Ventures, which operated the aircraft involved in the Baramati crash that killed Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, a CID officer said.

“The statement of V.K. Singh is being recorded,” said the CID officer, without disclosing more details about the questioning, which was still underway.

A Learjet 45 aircraft, operated by VSR Ventures, crashed near the Baramati air strip in Pune district on January 28, killing Ajit Pawar and four others.

After the plane crash, an accidental death report was registered at the Baramati Taluka police station, and the case was later transferred to the Pune CID. Earlier, the State agency had said that its focus was to ascertain if sabotage or criminal negligence led to the Baramati tragedy.

Days before Mr. Singh’s questioning, the CID had sent a set of questions to VSR Ventures in connection with its investigation into the plane crash, according to a source.

NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar had alleged on Wednesday (March 4) that someone was trying to save VSR Ventures, and claimed that a preliminary probe by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) vindicated the doubts earlier raised by him.