Mamata flags conspiracy in Ajit Pawar’s death, seeks SC-monitored probe

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday raised the possibility of a conspiracy behind the death of Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar and demanded a Supreme Court-monitored investigation into the plane crash that claimed his life.

Reacting to the incident, Banerjee also postponed her scheduled visit to Delhi later in the day. Speaking to reporters on her way to a government programme in Singur, Hooghly district, she said she did not trust central investigation agencies to conduct an impartial probe and asserted that only an apex court–supervised inquiry could uncover the truth.

“The Maharashtra deputy chief minister died in a plane crash this morning. I am deeply shocked. There is no safety or security for people in this country, not even for political leaders,” Banerjee said. “We have faith only in the Supreme Court. All other agencies have been completely compromised. This is a great loss for the country.”

The West Bengal chief minister also claimed that Ajit Pawar was considering exiting the BJP-led NDA and returning to the Opposition INDIA bloc, citing statements she said she had come across on social media in recent days. “He was very much with the ruling party, but recently there were indications that he was willing to leave the NDA,” she added, calling for a thorough investigation into the circumstances of the crash.

Ajit Pawar, the NCP chief and Maharashtra’s Deputy chief minister, was killed earlier on Wednesday when a small aircraft flying from Mumbai to Baramati crashed near Baramati airport during the landing phase. Four others, including two pilots and Pawar’s security personnel, also lost their lives in the accident.

The aircraft had taken off from Mumbai around 8 am and crashed approximately 45 minutes later. Pawar was travelling to Baramati to attend a series of public meetings ahead of the upcoming local body elections.

With IANS inputs