Baramati air crash: Rohit Pawar files FIR against VSR Ventures, seeks action against DGCA

MLA Rohit Pawar has lodged a formal complaint against VSR Ventures and its directors following the tragic January 28 Learjet crash in Baramati that claimed the life of his uncle, then Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar , along with four others. The complaint has been forwarded to the Crime Investigation Department (CID), Pune , officials confirmed.

The ill-fated Learjet, operated by VSR Ventures, had crashed amid growing questions about the company’s adherence to safety norms. On Tuesday, the DGCA ordered the grounding of four aircraft of the firm after a special audit revealed non-compliance in airworthiness, air safety, and flight operations.

Rohit Pawar, who has been questioning the circumstances of the crash, alleged that Mumbai police initially refused to register a First Information Report (FIR) . Along with legislators Amol Mitkari, Idris Naikwadi, and Sandeep Kshirsagar, he visited the Marine Drive police station. Pawar said the police accepted the application only as a formality , which intensified suspicions about the handling of the case.

In a press conference, Pawar stated, “The DGCA has acknowledged non-compliance by the VSR company. I questioned why, if the remaining aircraft were grounded, a faulty plane was given to Ajit Dada. We filed FIRs against VSR and its owners, DGCA officials who certified the aircraft, and the Aero company responsible for flight planning. Any state officials who ignored their responsibility must also be investigated. We have not politicised the FIRs by naming the Aviation Minister, though we have demanded his resignation due to commercial links with VSR.”

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is yet to release a preliminary report. Pawar has also demanded that all aircraft operated by VSR Ventures be grounded, alleging some political leaders may be shielding the company.