Two months after Ajit Pawar crash, kin and party renew call for probe

Two months after the death of former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash near Baramati, political tensions continue to simmer, with family members and party colleagues renewing demands for a detailed investigation.

Leaders of the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction) (NCP-SP) paid tributes on Saturday while reiterating concerns over the circumstances surrounding the crash.

Working president Supriya Sule, a cousin of the late leader, said in a social media post that his absence still felt unreal, adding that he was deeply missed. Party MLA Rohit Pawar also shared a message, invoking memories of the late leader and reiterating his call for justice, using the hashtag “JusticeForAjitDada”.

Senior party leader Sunil Tatkare released a video message recalling his association with Pawar, while his son, Jay Pawar, visited a memorial at Vidya Pratisthan in Baramati to pay his respects.

However, the commemoration has been accompanied by continuing allegations of foul play. Rohit Pawar has repeatedly claimed that the crash may not have been accidental, a concern echoed by Supriya Sule, who recently raised the issue in the Lok Sabha and called for a time-bound inquiry.

“If a former Deputy Chief Minister cannot get justice, what hope is there for others?” Sule said, criticising delays in initiating formal legal proceedings.

Responding in the state Assembly, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the government was committed to uncovering the truth and would not allow any conspiracy to go unpunished. He emphasised that due process was being followed and urged against questioning the administration’s intent.

The case has also sparked a jurisdictional dispute. Fadnavis criticised the filing of a case in Karnataka, calling it legally untenable and arguing that the state had no authority to register a “Zero FIR” in the matter. He also took aim at the Opposition for seeking recourse outside Maharashtra.

The political row has deepened after Rohit Pawar met Rahul Gandhi, with the Chief Minister suggesting that the move to file a case in another state may have been influenced by the meeting.

With competing claims, demands for a thorough probe, and questions over jurisdiction, the circumstances surrounding Ajit Pawar’s death continue to remain a contentious political issue in Maharashtra.

With IANS inputs