Ajit Pawar’s son shares clip showing VSR Ventures owner asleep in pilot’s seat, seeks arrest

Jay Pawar , son of Maharashtra's late Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar , has shared a video on social media alleging serious negligence by VSR Ventures . The clip reportedly shows the company’s owner, Rohit Singh , asleep in the chief pilot’s seat during a flight. Jay Pawar demanded Singh’s immediate arrest and called for all VSR Ventures aircraft to be grounded until a thorough investigation into his father’s plane crash is completed.

The Learjet 45 , operated by VSR Ventures, crashed on January 28 near Baramati in Pune district, killing Ajit Pawar and four others on board. Sharing the video, Jay Pawar said, “We lost our father…this pain will stay with us for a lifetime. In this video, Rohit Singh, owner of VSR, is seen asleep in the chief pilot’s seat during the flight. Such negligence while the aircraft is in the air is unacceptable . This is extremely serious and shocking.”

He urged the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to take immediate and strict action . “All VSR aircraft must be grounded with immediate effect until a complete investigation is conducted, and Rohit Singh should be arrested without delay and subjected to stringent legal action . This is a son’s anguished appeal…for my father and for the safety of every passenger ,” he added.

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) released a preliminary report on the crash on Saturday, noting that visibility at the time was below required levels . The report also flagged fading runway markings and loose gravel on the Baramati airstrip, recommending that the DGCA ensure safety standards at uncontrolled airfields.

Jay Pawar expressed disappointment over the report, saying it was “not detailed and complete.” He stressed that the people of Maharashtra and families of the victims deserve transparent information about the crash.

He also called for scrutiny of the entire VSR Ventures fleet . “DGCA grounded some aircraft on the basis of loopholes . A possibility cannot be ruled out that other aircraft have similar issues. If serious discrepancies are found in following rules and SOPs , action should be taken against the entire fleet , not just some aircraft,” he said.

Highlighting passenger safety, he added that the DGCA should consider halting all operations of VSR Ventures until the investigation concludes.