Rohit Pawar Demands Civil Aviation Minister’s Removal Amid Ajit Pawar Crash Probe

NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar on Wednesday called for the removal of Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu until the investigation into the plane crash that killed Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar is completed. Rohit Pawar, nephew of the late Ajit Pawar, alleged that the VSR company , which owned the Learjet involved in the Baramati crash, was receiving protection.

Speaking at a press conference, he claimed the minister and his party, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) , had close ties with the VSR owners. “Some former Maharashtra ministers and senior TDP leaders from Andhra Pradesh attended the marriage of Rohit Singh, son of VSR owner VK Singh. Despite the crash, the company continues to operate, and top politicians still use its Learjet planes,” Rohit Pawar said.

He argued that Naidu should step down on moral grounds, highlighting that even a preliminary probe report into the January 28 crash has not been made public. The legislator added that there were indications that attempts were being made to protect the VSR company.

Rohit Pawar also praised the NCP leadership, including his aunt and Deputy CM Sunetra Pawar , for meeting Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to request a CBI probe . Senior NCP leaders, including Sunil Tatkare, Praful Patel, Hassan Mushrif , and Parth Pawar, handed over a letter demanding an independent investigation.

He stressed that the probe must be impartial, with findings submitted to a committee comprising aviation experts and political leaders. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) recently stated that special support has been requested to retrieve data from the Learjet’s Cockpit Voice Recorder.

Rohit Pawar expressed concerns for his safety after taking on “the high and mighty” and criticised online trolls who attacked him for seeking justice. He suggested a potential political angle to the crash, involving either a possible NCP (SP) merger with the NDA or Ajit Pawar quitting the NDA, both scenarios allegedly unsettling some groups.