Aditi Tatkare seeks public access to Ajit Pawar crash reports
Maharashtra minister and NCP leader Aditi Tatkare on Saturday demanded that all reports and findings related to the plane crash, in which Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was killed, be compiled and made available on a common forum for public scrutiny.
Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) on Saturday issued a preliminary report plane crash, which occurred exactly a month ago, at Baramati in Pune district, that claimed the lives of Pawar and four others. In its 22-page preliminary report, the probe agency said all aspects of the plane crash will be investigated to bring out facts, root causes and contributory factors.
“As multiple agencies are involved in the probe into the plane crash, it would be better if all those reports and findings are presented at one place or on one forum for people and the common man to understand,” Tatkare told the media, adding that legislators would meet Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to raise the issue.
The Women and Child Development Minister said the preliminary report submitted by the DGCA was only a primary assessment and sought clarity on the timeline for the detailed report.
“The DGCA officials should provide a timeline for when they will release the detailed report. We also want to know at what stage (of investigation) the CBI and other probe agencies are and what progress has been made. This is going to be our demand,” she said.
Tatkare said she did not have access to the contents of the primary report and questioned how long people will have to wait for the final findings. Describing the January 28 plane crash as a matter of grave public importance, she said Pawar was not an ordinary individual.
“This is not an accident of a common man. Pawar was a deputy CM six times and has been in public life for many years. It is understood that an accident involving such a person has to be investigated thoroughly and very carefully,” she said.
Referring to the June 2025 Air India crash in Ahmedabad, in which 260 people, including one of her relatives, lost their lives, Tatkare said she was not drawing a comparison, but underscored the need for meticulous investigation.
“It is being said that the final report of the Ahmedabad accident will be finalised soon. In such accidents, every second has to be verified, probed and carefully documented with utmost precaution,” she said. The minister added that while people may express their emotions differently and seek answers in varied ways, there was a common expectation of a speedy yet accurate investigation.
