Ajit Pawar plane crash: CID probing multiple angles including possible sabotage

As the matter was linked to the accidental death report registered at Baramati following the crash, the complaint was being forwarded to the CID, Pune, a police official subsequently said.

Nearly a month after Deputy Chief Minister and NCP President Ajit Pawar died in a plane crash in Maharashtra’s Baramati town, the Pune-headquartered Crime Investigation Department (CID) said on Thursday that it is probing various angles including criminal conspiracy leading to a possible sabotage, negligence and omission behind the incident.

“The probe is underway at the right pace and in the right direction…the investigations are being done in the most professional manner,” Additional Director General of Police and CID chief Sunil Ramanand told reporters. 

According to him, once the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) submits its preliminary report, it would be “factored in” to the CID investigations. 

The CID's assertion came a day after Director General of Police Sadanand Date met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who is also the state Home Minister. 

Meanwhile, NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar attempted to register an FIR at the Marine Drive police station in Mumbai and the Baramati Taluka police station in Pune district, but he could not succeed.

Ramanand said that the Baramati police has registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR), numbered 11/2026 Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. 

“The CID is carrying out the investigation,” he said, adding that necessary coordination has also been maintained with the AAIB.

“The CID investigation is focused on three key points: first, whether there was criminal conspiracy behind the incident leading to an act of sabotage, second, whether there was criminal negligence, a rash or negligent act; and third, whether there was any criminal omission,” said Ramanand. 

He said that the CID is also in touch with the Central Forensic Science Laboratory in Pune and the Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology at BJ Government Medical College in Pune. 

“We are also taking expert opinions…a lot of data harvesting is being done,” he said.

To a question on CCTV footage, the CID chief said that a lot of evidence has been collected and is being corroborated. 

Besides Ajit Pawar, others who died in the accident were Ajit Pawar (66), Captain Sumit Kapur, the Pilot‑in‑Command (PIC), Captain Sambhavi Pathak, the Second-in-Command (SIC), Pinky Mali, the Flight Attendant and Vidhit Jadhav, a Mumbai Police Constable who was the politician's Personal Security Officer. 

Even as the CID probe is underway, last week the Maharashtra government recommended an Investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) following a formal representation by Ajit Pawar's wife and Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar.