Rohit Pawar, nephew of late Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, has filed a zero FIR in Bengaluru over the January 28 plane crash in Baramati that killed his uncle and four others. Rohit Pawar has alleged a “larger criminal conspiracy” behind the crash.
Rohit Pawar, the nephew of late Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, on Tuesday said he filed a zero FIR in Bengaluru in connection with the January 28 plane crash in Maharashtra’s Baramati, which claimed the life of his uncle and four others. The FIR followed a complaint filed by the NCP (SP) MLA, alleging a “larger criminal conspiracy” behind the incident.
A zero FIR is a police complaint that can be filed at any police station, regardless of where the crime actually occurred. The FIR is called zero because it is initially registered with a serial number 0, before being transferred to the appropriate police station for investigation.
Rohit Pawar filed a complaint at the High Grounds Police Station, alleging a larger criminal conspiracy behind the crash. He alleged that despite earlier complaints, the case was not initially registered in Maharashtra, prompting him to approach the police in Bengaluru.
Referring to a recent case where a zero FIR was registered in Karnataka over an alleged insult to Chief Justice of India Justice BR Gavai in Delhi, Pawar said the same mechanism had to be used in Ajit Pawar’s case due to the alleged inaction of Maharashtra Police.
The zero FIR filed by Rohit Pawar invokes multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including charges related to culpable homicide, negligence and endangering life.
According to the complaint, the aircraft operated by a private firm, VSR Ventures Pvt Ltd, was allegedly unfit for operation, with claims of falsified maintenance records and safety violations. It also flagged concerns over the pilot’s past record, last-minute crew changes and questionable flight decisions under poor visibility conditions.
Rohit Pawar said that attempts to file an FIR in Maharashtra were unsuccessful, prompting him to approach the Bengaluru Police, who registered a zero FIR and later transferred it to the concerned jurisdiction in Pune.
According to Rohit Pawar, he had approached the Marine Drive Police Station on February 25 and Baramati Police Station on February 26, but no FIR was registered, and he was later informed by the Pune CID that only an Accidental Death Report was being examined.
In his complaint, Pawar alleged a “larger criminal conspiracy aimed at eliminating the Deputy Chief Minister” and cited “systematic violations” of aviation safety norms, falsification of records, and gross negligence by VSR Ventures Pvt Ltd.
Referring to a safety audit by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), he claimed the Bombardier Learjet 45 aircraft was “negligent, not airworthy” and had been grounded. He further alleged the jet was operated “dangerously close” to its overhaul limit, with possible suppression of flight data.
Pawar also questioned the crew change, calling the explanation “implausible”, and alleged that Chief Pilot Sumit Kapoor had a history of alcohol-related violations. He flagged unexplained delays, a sudden runway switch, and the pilot’s “silence” in the final moments, suggesting “either incapacitation due to alcohol or deliberate inaction.”
The FIR claimed procedural lapses in the certification of Learjet 45 aircraft and pointed to possible regulatory failures, while calling for a full-fledged criminal investigation beyond the ongoing technical probe.
