NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar meets Rahul Gandhi, urges him to raise Baramati crash issue in Lok Sabha
New Delhi: Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar faction) MLA Rohit Pawar on Thursday met Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi and urged him to raise the issue of the Baramati aircraft crash in Parliament, seeking a fair and transparent investigation into Baramati plane crash that killed Former Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajith Pawar.
In a post shared on X, Rohit Pawar said he had handed over a detailed dossier of evidence to Rahul Gandhi regarding what he described as the suspicious circumstances surrounding the accident involving the plane crash.
लोकसभेतील प्रभावी विरोधी पक्षनेते माननीय राहुल जी गांधी यांची दिल्लीत भेट घेऊन अजितदादांच्या संशयास्पद विमान अपघातासंदर्भात त्यांच्याशी अर्ध्या तासाहून अधिक विस्तृत चर्चा केली.
— Rohit Pawar (@RRPSpeaks) March 12, 2026
तसंच या अपघाताबाबत वेगवेगळ्या स्त्रोतांकडून आम्ही अत्यंत मेहनतीने जमा केलेली संपूर्ण माहिती त्यांना… pic.twitter.com/iWQarTj32W
“Today in Delhi, I met Shri @RahulGandhi ji regarding the suspicious circumstances of Ajitdada’s plane accident. I handed over a detailed dossier of evidence painstakingly collected from various sources. I requested him to raise this issue in the Lok Sabha to demand an impartial inquiry. Grateful for his assurance of support. An inspiring meeting with a leader of great legacy. His family has sacrificed a lot for our nation,” Pawar wrote in the post.
Responding to the meeting, Rahul Gandhi stated in an 'X,' post, “Shri Rohit Pawar met me today and submitted a letter raising serious concerns about the investigation into the Baramati aircraft crash that claimed the life of Shri Ajit Pawar ji and others. Basic principles of law appear not to have been followed, and no FIR has been registered despite the seriousness of the matter. This incident warrants a fair, transparent, and impartial investigation."
Shri Rohit Pawar met me today and submitted a letter raising serious concerns about the investigation into the Baramati aircraft crash that claimed the life of Shri Ajit Pawar ji and others.
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 12, 2026
Basic principles of law appear not to have been followed, and no FIR has been registered… pic.twitter.com/Hg3AIDFVLq
In a subsequent post, Rohit Pawar expressed gratitude to Rahul Gandhi for his support, stating that his solidarity had provided strength to those seeking justice in the case.
“Thank you, Rahul ji, for standing with the people of Maharashtra and Pawar family in our fight to secure justice for Ajit Dada. Your support means far more to us than words can express. In a difficult and emotional journey like this, your solidarity gives strength, hope, and courage to countless people who are seeking truth and accountability. Your presence and encouragement inspire us to continue our pursuit of truth with determination and dignity,” Pawar said.
Thank you, Rahul ji, for standing with the people of Maharashtra and Pawar family in our fight to secure justice for Ajit Dada.
— Rohit Pawar (@RRPSpeaks) March 12, 2026
Your support means far more to us than words can express. In a difficult and emotional journey like this, your solidarity gives strength, hope, and… https://t.co/0SdjVImWm9
According to reports, Ajit Pawar died on the morning of January 28 when a Learjet 45 aircraft (VT-SSK) carrying him crash-landed while attempting to land at Baramati Airport in Pune district. The aircraft reportedly went down near the runway threshold, killing all five people on board. Among the deceased were Pawar, his personal security officer, a flight attendant and two pilots.
He was reportedly travelling from Mumbai to Baramati to campaign for the Zilla Panchayat elections.
Following the crash, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) constituted a multi-disciplinary audit team, which observed several non-compliances of approved procedures in the organisation in areas including airworthiness, air safety and flight operations. The regulator also ordered a special safety audit of VSR Ventures Pvt Ltd.
Earlier on March 6, Rohit Pawar had alleged a potential conspiracy behind the accident involving the aircraft carrying Ajit Pawar, claiming that a “big power” was shielding VSR, the aircraft operator in the case.
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Hormuz Strait disruptions have caused huge economic impact, energy instability in region: Navy chief
Mumbai (PTI): The Strait of Hormuz disruptions have caused severe economic impact and energy instability in the region, Indian Navy chief Admiral D K Tripathi said on Thursday amid the war in West Asia.
Speaking at an event where INS Sunayna, an offshore patrol vessel, set sail from Mumbai as Indian Ocean Ship (IOS) Sagar, the admiral said competition at sea has no longer remained confined to oil and energy.
It is now expanding towards resources that will shape future growth - such as rare earth elements, critical minerals, new fishing grounds and even data, he said.
The West Asia crisis began on February 28 after a joint attack by the US and Israel on Iran.
Iran's strikes on its neighbours along with its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz have disrupted the world's energy supplies with effects far beyond West Asia.
"With the conflict in West Asia well into its fifth week, the disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz have caused severe economic impact and energy instability in the region," Tripathi said.
There is significant increase in the marine survey, deep-sea research activity, and Illegal Unreported and Unregulated Fishing (IUU), often encroaching upon the sovereign rights of littoral nations and exploiting gaps in monitoring and enforcement, he said.
Alongside these, threats such as piracy, armed robbery and narco-trafficking backed by unimpeded access of advanced technology to non-state actors, have also become more complex and challenging to counter, the Navy chief pointed out.
Last year alone, the Indian Ocean Region witnessed a staggering 3,700 maritime incidents of varying nature, the admiral said.
Additionally, narcotics seizures in the region exceeded USD 1 billion USD in 2025, highlighting the persistence and spread of such challenges in the region, he said.
