Sunetra Pawar Seeks CBI Probe Into Ajit Pawar Plane Crash

Sunetra Pawar meets CM Fadnavis as political pressure grows; AAIB continues technical investigation into January 28 tragedy.

Mumbai, February 18, 2026: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar on Tuesday demanded a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation into the January 28 Learjet crash in Baramati that killed senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar and four others.

Sunetra Pawar, along with leaders of the Nationalist Congress Party such as Sunil Tatkare, Praful Patel, Hassan Mushrif, and her son Parth Pawar, met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in Mumbai and submitted a letter seeking a central investigation.

The demand comes after statements earlier this month by NCP (SP) leader Rohit Pawar, who questioned whether the crash was accidental. On February 10, he suggested possible sabotage and pointed to issues such as last-minute schedule changes, landing timing, and the replacement of the pilot shortly before departure. He also mentioned discussions involving Flight Captain Sumit Kapoor and raised questions about the private aviation company connected to the aircraft.

The Learjet 45, registered VT-SSK, crashed on January 28 in Baramati in Pune district, killing Ajit Pawar and four others.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau said its investigation is continuing under the Aircraft Accident Rules, 2017, and in line with global standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization. In a statement released through the Press Information Bureau, the agency said the aircraft had two flight recorders — a Digital Flight Data Recorder and a Cockpit Voice Recorder. Both were badly damaged by the fire after the crash, and experts are trying to recover usable data.

While the official aviation probe is underway, the fresh political demand for a CBI inquiry indicates increasing pressure for a wider and more independent investigation into the fatal crash.