The Maharashtra government has urged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to authorize a CBI inquiry into the plane crash that claimed the life of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar last month, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced. Speaking at a press conference ahead of the state Budget session, Fadnavis said the Mahayuti administration is committed to dispelling all doubts surrounding the crash. He revealed that after receiving a letter from the NCP requesting a CBI probe, he discussed the matter with Amit Shah. In addition to investigations by the DGCA and the state CID, the CBI will now conduct a separate inquiry.

Ajit Pawar and four others were killed on January 28 when their chartered aircraft crashed while attempting to land near Baramati in Pune district. Following the incident, NCP (SP) leader Rohit Pawar alleged possible foul play and questioned the circumstances of the crash. Rohit Pawar also wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, demanding that Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu step down until the investigation concludes. He raised concerns about VSR, the company that owned the ill-fated Learjet 45, and its alleged links to Naidu.

Fadnavis stated that the DGCA is auditing VSR and examining its logbooks. Emphasizing the need to await the findings and avoid speculation, he assured that the government would closely monitor the probe. He added that he believes the DGCA and the civil aviation ministry have nothing to conceal and highlighted the importance of the investigation for the safety of political leaders, noting he had previously flown on the same aircraft.

Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar reiterated the demand for a CBI probe and thanked the chief minister for assuring a thorough investigation. Meanwhile, political tensions escalated as leaders of the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) skipped the Maha Vikas Aghadi meeting before the Budget session. The Opposition also boycotted the traditional tea gathering hosted by Fadnavis, criticizing the state government for not addressing concerns about the potential impact of the Indo-US trade agreement on cotton farmers and fisherfolk in Maharashtra.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from NDTV.