CID Takes Over Probe Into Baramati Plane Crash That Killed Ajit Pawar, Five Dead in Tragedy

CID Takes Over Probe Into Baramati Plane Crash That Killed Ajit Pawar, Five Dead in Tragedy

The Maharashtra Crime Investigation Department (CID) has officially begun its investigation into the plane crash near Baramati that claimed the lives of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others, officials confirmed on Friday.

State police authorities have transferred the accidental death case, originally registered by Pune Rural Police, to the CID following the January 28 crash. The case was registered under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and pertains to an aircraft accident that occurred shortly after landing.

Ajit Pawar (66) was travelling from Mumbai to his hometown Baramati aboard a Learjet 45 when the aircraft crashed around 200 metres from the tabletop airstrip in Pune district on Wednesday morning. All five people on board were killed on the spot.

The victims included experienced pilot Captain Sumit Kapoor, who had logged over 15,000 flying hours, co-pilot Captain Shambhavi Pathak with approximately 1,500 hours of experience, Pawar’s personal security officer Vidip Jadhav, and flight attendant Pinky Mali.

A senior official said CID teams have already commenced preliminary work and are in the process of collecting all relevant documents from Pune Rural Police. Investigators will also conduct a detailed inspection of the crash site near the Baramati airstrip.

“The purpose of the CID probe is to examine all possible angles, including ruling out any sabotage or technical interference before the aircraft departed from Mumbai,” the official said.

In parallel, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), functioning under the Union Civil Aviation Ministry, has launched a separate statutory investigation to determine the exact cause of the crash.

The tragic incident has sent shockwaves across Maharashtra’s political and administrative circles, with multiple agencies now working to piece together the sequence of events that led to one of the most devastating aviation accidents involving a senior political leader in recent years.