Ajit Pawar plane crash: Flight attendant’s father backs ‘conspiracy’ claim

The political controversy surrounding the plane crash that killed Ajit Pawar has intensified after Shivkumar Mali, father of flight attendant Pinky Mali who died in the accident, expressed suspicion of a possible conspiracy, backing claims made earlier by MLA Rohit Pawar.

Rohit Pawar had alleged that Ajit Pawar’s body appeared “abnormally swollen” after the crash, triggering a political row in Maharashtra and at the Centre. Supporting the demand for a deeper probe, Shivkumar Mali questioned why both the aircraft and pilot assigned for the Baramati journey were changed at the last minute.

He claimed that a white aircraft was arranged for the Baramati trip for the first time, whereas Ajit Pawar had previously travelled four times on a black aircraft. Pinky Mali had reportedly been present on all five flights. According to him, officials cited a traffic jam as the reason for the originally scheduled pilot not reaching on time, but he questioned the explanation, noting that heavy traffic is unlikely at 6 am.

Five people, including Pinky Mali, were killed in the 28 January crash along with Ajit Pawar.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut demanded a probe into which leader from Vidarbha allegedly required Ajit Pawar to stay back in Mumbai to sign a file, leading to a change in his Baramati travel plan.

He asked which political party the leader belonged to and called for a detailed investigation.

Following Rohit Pawar’s allegations, a team from the DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) reached Baramati to inspect the crash site. Officials are examining airport security arrangements, runway conditions, technical facilities and emergency systems. A final decision on the safety status of the airport will depend on the inspection report.

Rohit Pawar warned that if a proper investigation is not conducted and public concerns are not addressed, he would approach the courts.

The controversy unfolded alongside high-level political developments. While Rohit Pawar addressed a press conference in Mumbai on Tuesday alleging a conspiracy, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was in New Delhi meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to brief them on developments in the state.

On Wednesday, Rohit Pawar travelled to Delhi while Fadnavis returned to Mumbai.

Responding to the allegations, Fadnavis said the crash would be investigated through multiple agencies, including BG Safety, the CID and the DGCA. He said Ajit Pawar was a respected leader and the investigation should be trusted. At the same time, he added that the issues and doubts raised by Rohit Pawar should be addressed, but cautioned against politicising the tragedy or seeking political gains from it.