CCTV footage, last-minute pilot changes, and disabled safety systems fuel Rohit Pawar’s allegations of foul play in Ajit pawar’s plane crash.
BY PC Bureau
Mumbai, February 10: Rohit Pawar, NCP leader and grand-nephew of veteran politician Sharad Pawar, claimed today that the death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash on January 26 was the result of a conspiracy. He is the first member of the Pawar family to publicly raise such allegations, with Sharad Pawar having previously dismissed any suggestion of foul play.
At a press conference in Mumbai, Rohit Pawar presented a detailed account of the flight and the events of the day. “I can’t say whether this is a political conspiracy or not, but it is 100% a conspiracy… For senior party leaders, this incident and its investigation are not important; what matters to them is retaining power,” he said.
He pointed to village panchayat CCTV footage showing the aircraft tilting before it crashed. “Without this footage, only vague information would be available,” he added.
VIDEO | Mumbai, Maharashtra: NCP (SP) Rohit Pawar says, “The entire Maharashtra is questioning whether Ajit Dada’s plane crash was an accident or a conspiracy.”
(Full video available on PTI Videos – https://t.co/dv5TRARJn4)#Mumbai pic.twitter.com/C4YttDnfil
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) February 10, 2026
Rohit Pawar questioned Ajit Pawar’s sudden change of travel plans, noting that the 66-year-old leader, usually cautious about flying, had originally planned to travel by road to Pune. “Dada was supposed to travel by car to Pune and then to Baramati. But due to delays, he opted to fly,” he said.
He also raised concerns about last-minute pilot changes, pointing to Captain Sumit Kapoor, who had recently arrived from Hong Kong, and alleged WhatsApp messages warning that the pilot consumed alcohol excessively. Additional concerns included repeated runway change requests, alleged disabling of the aircraft’s Stall Warning System, and minimal communication on the Cockpit Voice Recorder, which reportedly captured only the final words: “Oh s**t.”
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Ajit Pawar, along with four others—a pilot, crew member, and his security personnel—died when the Learjet XR crashed near Baramati airport during its second landing attempt. The flight had departed Mumbai at 8:10 am and went down roughly half an hour later.
In response, the Civil Aviation Ministry announced inspections of all uncontrolled airstrips in the country.
