New Delhi: NCP (SP) leader Rohit Pawar on Tuesday said the death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash could be part of a larger conspiracy as several questions surrounding the incident remained unanswered.Rohit Pawar made the remarks while speaking in Mumbai on the plane crash that killed Ajit Pawar and four others last month. Briefing on the incident, he said the circumstances leading up to the crash required closer review.“Ajit Dadar’s plane crash could be part of a conspiracy. We have also investigated certain aspects of the accident. A book mentions that if someone wants to kill someone, the easiest way is to target the driver. The day before the accident, Dada was supposed to travel from Mumbai to Pune by car and the convoy had also set off. But why didn’t he drive away? Ajit Dadar is also scheduled to meet a senior leader,” Rohit Pawar said.He claimed there were serious doubts about the plane, the pilot and the handling company. Rohit said the incident warranted a review beyond the usual procedures.He questioned the qualifications of the pilot who flew the plane on the day of the crash. The NCP (SP) leader mentioned Captain Sumit Kapoor, who flew a Learjet, and mentioned his past suspensions.“Captain Sumit Kapoor was earlier suspended for three years due to alcohol abuse. This raises serious questions,” he said, while adding that the role of pilot needs to be overhauled.Rohit Pawar also expressed concerns over the investigation process, arguing that the existing machinery may not be enough to clear all doubts.“AAIB operates under the DGCA. Multiple expert bodies, including international agencies, are required to conduct an independent and comprehensive investigation,” he said, naming agencies such as the National Transportation Safety Board, the UK-based Air Accident Investigation Branch and Indian authorities.He further claimed that VSR, which owns Learjet aircraft, has influence over aviation regulators.“The final investigation report into the 2023 crash involving VSR aircraft has been submitted. Even now, VSR aircraft continue to be used by senior political leaders. Why was the company’s license never cancelled?” asked Rohit Pawar.He added that the tragedy could not be dismissed as an accident. “We do not believe it was just an accident. There is a possibility of suspicion of sabotage.”“The entire state of Maharashtra is questioning whether Ajit Dadar’s plane crash was an accident or a conspiracy? I am sharing my feelings with you. Some people are still expecting Dada to come from somewhere, some are saying there were six people on the plane and it was not Ajit Dada’s body, it still feels like a nightmare,” Rohit said. Rohit Pawar also pointed to multiple technical and operational issues, including whether the aircraft’s transponder was switched off, why a difficult runway was chosen in poor visibility, and why the aircraft attempted to land in such conditions.“Why did the pilot ask to use runway 11? Why did he try to land despite visibility problems? Why did he remain silent when the plane banked?” he asked.He further said that Ajit Pawar plans to leave for Pune via road on the evening of January 27 after the cabinet meeting and his convoy is ready.“However, the meeting was postponed after a leader from Vidarbha East arrived with a document related to the abolition of political consultant contracts. Flight bookings were made late at night. Ajitdada was scheduled to take off at 7 am, but the flight took off only at 8:10 am,” said Rohit Pawar.Ajit Pawar was killed on January 28 when a chartered Learjet crashed while trying to land at the Tabletop airstrip at Baramati in Pune district. Four other people, including his personal security guard, the pilot, co-pilot and a flight attendant, also died in the crash. Following the incident, the Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections in Maharashtra were postponed.Notably, NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar had earlier ruled out any conspiracy and described the incident as an accident.West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had earlier claimed that Ajit Pawar’s death could be linked to a political conspiracy and asked the Supreme Court for a probe, citing reports that he was considering rejoining Sharad Pawar’s National Communist Party (SP).Meanwhile, the federal government said it was conducting a technical investigation. Minister of State for Civil Aviation Mulidhar Mohol said the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) and Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) were investigating the crash.“The black box has been recovered and is being analyzed. The data will be downloaded and a detailed investigation will follow. A preliminary report will be issued thereafter,” Mohol said, urging caution and not jumping to premature conclusions.The authority said the investigation is being conducted under the AAIB Rules 2025 and will determine the exact sequence of events, including the role of weather and visibility conditions during the aircraft’s attempted landing.A parallel investigation has also been initiated by the Maharashtra Crime Investigation Department (CID) and a case of accidental death has been registered at the Pune Rural Police Station and handed over to the CID.