MUMBAI: NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar on Friday wondered if the Maharashtra Crime Investigation Department really questioned VSR Ventures owner V K Singh or extended him “royal hospitality”.
Singh was questioned at the CID office here on Thursday in connection with the January 28 plane crash that killed deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar and four others in Baramati. VSR operated the plane, a Learjet 45 aircraft.
According to officials, Singh was questioned for more than seven hours, and his statement was recorded. He was allowed to leave the CID office around 7.30 pm.
“Suspicion has now arisen over whether V K Singh, the owner of #VSR company, who is considered one of the people responsible for the unfortunate death of Ajit Dada, was summoned by the CID for questioning or for royal hospitality,” Pawar wrote in a social media post.
The NCP (SP) leader said Singh arrived at the CID office at 11 am, and it was claimed that he was questioned for eight hours.
“But in reality, most of that time was reportedly spent taking care of him and extending hospitality. At night, he was even escorted away like a guest in a police vehicle with black-tinted windows,” said Pawar.
No matter how many black curtains are drawn to hide the truth, the sun of truth in this case will eventually rise, said Pawar.
“On one hand, despite it being our rightful demand, even an FIR regarding this accident is not being registered. On the other hand, V K Singh, whose aircraft snatched Ajit Dada away from us, is being given VIP treatment under whose blessings?” he asked.
Pawar also claimed that the media persons who had gone to the CID office to cover the matter were treated badly by the police.
“In such circumstances, will the ruling MLAs who worked with Ajit Dada and called themselves his ‘trusted’ colleagues finally wake up now?” he asked.
After the plane crash, an accidental death report was registered at the Baramati Taluka police station, and the case was later transferred to the Pune CID. Earlier, the state agency had said that its focus was to ascertain if sabotage or criminal negligence led to the Baramati tragedy.
Days before V K Singh's questioning, the CID had sent a set of questions to VSR Ventures in connection with its investigation into the plane crash, a source had said on Thursday.
Pawar had alleged on Wednesday that someone was trying to save VSR Ventures, and claimed that a preliminary probe by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) vindicated the doubts earlier raised by him.
In its 22-page preliminary report on the air tragedy, the AAIB said the visibility at the time of the crash was below the required level. It also flagged fading marks on the runway and the presence of loose gravel on the runway surface.