Ajit Pawar death: CID begins probe into Baramati plane crash

The Maharashtra Crime Investigation Department (CID) has started its probe into the plane crash in Baramati that killed Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others, an official said on Friday.

The state police have issued orders about the CID probe into the accidental death case registered at Baramati in Pune district, following the January 28 crash, a senior official told PTI.

"The Pune Rural police have registered a case of accidental death under section 194 Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and the same has been transferred to the CID," he said.

Pawar (66), who had taken off from Mumbai, and four other persons on board a Learjet 45 plane died after it crashed barely 200 metres from the edge of the tabletop airstrip at Baramati, his hometown in Pune district, on Wednesday morning.

The others killed in the tragedy were Captain Sumit Kapoor, who had a flying experience of 15,000 hours, co-pilot Captain Shambhavi Pathak, with 1,500 hours of flying experience, Pawar's Personal Security Officer Vidip Jadhav and flight attendant Pinky Mali.

The official said that a team of CID personnel had started their work and would collect related documents from the Pune Rural police.

The team will also visit the accident site near the Baramati airstrip, he said.

The probe is to rule out any sabotage with the plane before Pawar began his journey from Mumbai to Baramati, he said.

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), which functions under the Civil Aviation Ministry, has also initiated a formal investigation into the crash.