Rohit Pawar claims key accused in Ajit Pawar plane crash is in US

Rohit Pawar, nephew of late Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar and an MLA from the Sharad Pawar faction of the NCP, made sensational allegations on Wednesday, 18 February, regarding the air crash which killed Ajit Pawar and four others on 28 January.

Addressing a press conference, Rohit Pawar claimed that the “main accused” in the crash is currently in the United States and is being shielded by several influential political leaders. According to him, the aircraft involved in the accident was managed remotely from the US by Rohit Singh, son of its owner Vijay Singh, and alleged that the "real culprit" behind the crash is sitting in America.

Rohit Pawar further claimed that VRS Company was among the principal entities responsible for the accident but was being protected. He questioned who was shielding VRS, alleging that several illegal activities had been carried out through the company. He also asked who facilitated Rohit Singh’s travel to the US after the crash.

In a pointed remark, he said Rohit Singh’s wedding was attended by chief ministers from multiple states, former MLAs and ministers — suggesting political clout. He alleged that ruling leaders and certain Hyderabad-based politicians were attempting to protect VRS Company because of their alleged links with it.

A day after reports surfaced that the aircraft’s black box had been damaged, Rohit Pawar held a detailed press conference at the Y.B. Chavan Centre at 10.30 am, presenting what he described as key disclosures.

He questioned how the black box could have been damaged when, according to him, even paper documents at the crash site were not fully burnt.

“If the black box had been exposed to temperatures of 1100ºC for an hour, it might have suffered minor damage. It can also withstand water pressure up to a depth of 6,000 metres. Yet, several papers were found partially intact. An explosion lasts only a few seconds — that does not burn paper,” he argued.

Rohit Pawar also asked how the aircraft was granted clearance to fly and why its fuel tank was filled to such an extent for the relatively short distance between Mumbai and Baramati.

He cast suspicion on the pilot as well, making a striking claim that the aircraft may have been deliberately crashed. “For the first time, I am saying this clearly — we believe the pilot intentionally slammed Ajit Pawar’s aircraft into the ground,” he said.

The allegation has triggered fresh political turbulence, with questions being raised about whether the aircraft indeed hit the ground directly. Several videos related to the crash have surfaced, and Rohit Pawar has consistently expressed doubts about the nature of the incident. He has now explicitly stated that the aircraft struck the ground.

In a presentation titled 'VSR Group and Their Deeds', Rohit Pawar dedicated an entire slide to calling for a thorough investigation into the records of Vijay Singh, the alleged owner of VSR.

He reiterated that Vijay Singh’s son Rohit Singh resides in the United States. Making another serious allegation, he claimed that a “major agency” had been hired to scrub Rohit Singh’s digital footprint — removing information related to him from the internet and social media.

The claims have added a new layer of controversy to the already contentious aircraft accident, with political ramifications likely to intensify in the coming days.