Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], March 25 : Nearly two months after demanding an investigation into the Baramati plane crash that killed NCP chief Ajit Pawar, the Karnataka Police registered a Zero FIR and requested the transfer of the case to the Baramati Rural Police Station in Pune district of Maharashtra "on the point of jurisdiction".
NCP (SP) Rohit Pawar, nephew of late Ajit Pawar, registered the FIR at the High Grounds Police Station in Bengaluru. He said that the Karnataka Police have "handed over" the FIR to the Maharashtra Police, who, he added, had the onus to ensure the accused in the plane crash incident were punished.
"In the case of the plane crash involving Ajit Dada, the FIR filed in Karnataka has been handed over by the Karnataka Police to the Maharashtra Police. Now the test is of the Maharashtra Police force... To ensure that the accused in this case receive punishment, it is expected that the Maharashtra Police will conduct a thorough investigation befitting the motto 'sdrkssnnaay khlnigrhnnaay' and that the state government will also cooperate for this purpose," Pawar posted on X.
https://x.com/RRPSpeaks/status/2036664543259365686
An official letter, signed by P Harishekaran, IPS, acting on behalf of the Director General and Inspector General of Police, Karnataka, was sent on March 24 to the Maharashtra DGP. The letter outlined the need for the transfer of the Zero FIR to the Baramati Rural Police Station.
The letter reads: "Please find herein the enclosed case file of Bengaluru city, High Grounds Police Station, Zero FIR No: 001/2026 U/s 61, 103, 105, 106, 125, 238, 336(2) BNS-2023 to Baramati Rural Police Station, Pune District, Maharashtra State. It is requested to transfer the above case to Baramati Rural Police Station, Pune District, Maharashtra State, on the point of jurisdiction."
Earlier, Rohit Pawar informed about the Karnataka Director General of Police (DGP) filing an FIR in this case.
"There was no other option. Ajit Pawar has been doing social and political work in this state for the last forty years, and he has had a very close relationship with the people there. After his accident or whatever conspiracy occurred, he passed away, so it's crucial to file an FIR to properly investigate the case from a criminal angle, and everyone has the right," Pawar told ANI.
"When we went to Delhi, we met Rahul Gandhi and discussed the matter with him. He said, 'Go to any state where justice is available.' He didn't name any state. So, we went to Karnataka, and an FIR was filed. This FIR came to the DG of Maharashtra through their DG. We'll have to see what this government does about this. The FIR will have to be accepted or else people will find out straight away that something is fishy," he added.
The family's concerns stem from earlier developments when the Maharashtra Police had rejected the FIR filed in their state, leading to a delayed investigation. However, following the filing of the Zero FIR in Karnataka and its transfer to Maharashtra, the family is now keen on ensuring the investigation is conducted impartially and transparently.
Earlier, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, urging a "time-bound," "transparent," and "comprehensive" investigation into the plane crash that claimed the life of Ajit Pawar, taking forward a request by Rohit Pawar.
In his letter, CM Fadnavis referenced Rohit Pawar's concerns regarding the safety record of aircraft operator M/s VSR Ventures, flight crew deployment and duty norms, aircraft maintenance and airworthiness, discrepancies in flight data and records, operational decisions during landing, and the adequacy of regulatory oversight.
Meanwhile, Rohit Pawar has repeatedly alleged a potential conspiracy behind the accident involving the plane carrying Ajit Pawar, claiming that a "big power" is shielding VSR Ventures Pvt Ltd, the aircraft operator.
On March 12, Pawar met the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, in the national capital, reiterating the demand for a fair investigation into the Ajit Pawar plane crash case.
Ajit Pawar died on the morning of January 28 when the Learjet 45 aircraft (VT-SSK) carrying him crash-landed while attempting to land at Baramati airport in Pune district. The aircraft went down near the runway threshold, killing all five people on board. Among the deceased were Pawar, his personal security officer, a flight attendant, and two pilots. He was travelling from Mumbai to Baramati to campaign for the Zilla Panchayat elections.
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