CID summons VSR Ventures officials as Baramati plane crash probe intensifies

The Maharashtra Crime Investigation Department (CID) questioned top officials of VSR Ventures , the company that operated the Learjet 45 involved in the Baramati plane crash that claimed the life of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar along with four others, a senior CID officer confirmed on Thursday. The questioning is ongoing, and further details have not been disclosed.

The crash occurred near the Baramati airstrip in Pune district on January 28 , sparking a high-profile investigation. Initially registered as an accidental death at the Baramati Taluka police station , the case was later transferred to the Pune CID , which is examining whether sabotage or criminal negligence played a role in the tragedy.

According to sources, the CID had already sent a detailed set of questions to VSR Ventures as part of its inquiry. Meanwhile, political figures have intensified the pressure on the company. NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar alleged that there were attempts to shield the company from accountability, citing preliminary findings by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) that supported earlier concerns he had raised.

The 22-page preliminary AAIB report noted that visibility at the time of the crash was below the required level , and highlighted fading runway markings and the presence of loose gravel on the runway surface.

Adding to the controversy, Ajit Pawar’s son, Jay Pawar , recently shared a purported video on social media showing VSR Ventures owner Rohit Singh reportedly dozing off in the pilot’s seat during a flight, demanding his immediate arrest. He also called for all VSR Ventures aircraft to be grounded until the crash investigation is fully completed.

As the probe deepens, the focus remains on uncovering the precise circumstances that led to one of Maharashtra’s most shocking aviation tragedies in recent years.