Baramati crash: Rohit Pawar says plane operator has links to ‘powerful’ people in ruling party; seeks Modi’s help

VIDEO | Delhi: NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar (@RRPSpeak) holds a press conference on Baramati air crash, says, “The deeper we go into this matter, the more one thing becomes clear: this company called VSR appears to have the support of very influential people. Many of them are in… pic.twitter.com/v0XKvfq1YO

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) February 21, 2026

He also claimed that if the investigation is to receive true justice, then the most powerful leaders in the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah, are the ones who can ensure justice for Ajit Pawar. According to him, others involved in the matter are also powerful, but Modi and Shah currently remain the most powerful figures in the country. Ajit Pawar was Rohit’s uncle.

Rohit Pawar further said there could be two possible angles behind the incident, political or commercial, and that his party was trying to determine which was involved. “Another point is that certain voices are trying to control the narrative there,” he said.

The aircraft involved was a Bombardier Learjet 45, registered as VT-SSK and operated by VSR Ventures (VSR Aviation). It took off from Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport around 8:10 AM on January 28 and was headed to Baramati. The operator has cited possible visibility issues during landing.

Irregularities in the Cockpit Voice Recorder

Flagging what he described as several irregularities, Rohit Pawar also raised concerns about the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR). He claimed the CVR in the aircraft had a recording capacity of only 30 minutes, whereas the requirement of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is two hours.

VIDEO | Delhi: NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar (@RRPSpeak) holds a press conference on Baramati air crash, says, “CVR we are talking about—the Cockpit Voice Recorder—had a capacity of only 30 minutes in that flight. But if you look at the government regulations, the DGCA (Directorate… pic.twitter.com/VAp5OzUGD3

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) February 21, 2026

“If the aircraft’s CVR could record only 30 minutes while the rule says it should be two hours, then how was that aircraft registered? That is something we all want to know,” he said.

‘Last 30 minutes before accident crucial’

He added that the final 30 minutes before the accident, the latest recorded segment, could hold crucial clues. “Whatever happened in those last 30 minutes can only be known through the CVR. It is being said it has been damaged, but we don’t believe it. It is about what was actually recorded. From that recording, many important facts could come to light, facts that perhaps VSR or those backing VSR may not want to be revealed,” he said.

Talking about the black box of the plane, Rohit Pawar said, “When the accident happened, there was not just one blast, there were many blasts…VSR, the company that operates the flight, has a lot of issues. They are mechanical, maintenance issues…There is an area where bags are kept, additional petrol cans were kept there, and that’s what caused the fire, so this needs to be investigated…”