Akola (Maharashtra) [India], February 2 : Nationalist Congress Party leader Amol Mitkari has said that there were some suspicions about the circumstances of the death of party leader Ajit Pawar in a plane crash and demanded a high-level probe into the tragedy.
Ajit Pawar, who was Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister, died in a plane crash on January 28 while he was on his way to Baramati. His death shocked people in the state and political leaders across the country.
Mitkari toldthat Ajit Pawar was among the most promising leaders of the state.
"A prominent leader of Maharashtra, Ajit Dada, is no longer with us... There were district council elections recently, and he was coming to Baramati for election campaigning... In his final moments, there was a sudden change of route, a sudden change of pilot... Not a single piece of paper was burned, but the bodies were burned. This raises some suspicions," he said.
"I have requested the Chief Minister of Maharashtra to ensure justice by ordering a CBI inquiry. He has given an assurance that a CBI inquiry will be conducted, and I myself will try to meet with Union Home Minister Amit Shah next week to ensure a high-level investigation," he added.
Mitkari claimed that before take-off of the plane, there were six people and said that the watch Ajit Pawar was wearing has not been recovered.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has initiated a formal investigation into the accident that claimed the lives of Ajit Pawar and four others.
Mitkari, MLC, said that asking questions in the public interest should not be termed as spreading rumours.
He also raised questions about the aircraft's approval process for a high-profile passenger and asked whether safety norms were properly followed.
Ajit Pawar, 66, died on the morning of January 28 after the aircraft carrying him crashed while attempting to land at the Baramati airport in Pune district. Among the deceased were his personal security officer, a flight attendant and two pilots.
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