TheDirector General of Civil Aviation(DGCA) in a big action has ordered to ground four aircraft of VSR Ventures, top sources said, weeks after Maharashtra Deputy Chief MinisterAjit Pawar’s death in a plane crash. Action to be taken based on the findings of the special safety audit conducted after the Baramati crash. Ajit Pawar and four others were killed on January 28 after their Learjet 45 crashed some distance away from Baramati airport.
Meanwhile, the preliminary report on the plane crash will be out on or before February 28, Union minister of state for civil aviation and Pune MP Murlidhar Mohol earlier on Sunday. Talking to reporters at an event, Mohol said, "The preliminary report will be out before one month (from the day of the incident) on or before February 28."
The incident has been the subject of intense speculation with NCP (SP) MLA and Pawar's nephew Rohit Pawar holding several press conferences to flag what he claimed were irregularities connected to the firm that owned the aircraft and other technical anomalies. He has also raised doubts about foul play.
On Saturday, the Karjat-Jamkhed MLA wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding that Civil Aviation minister K Ram Mohan Naidu be asked to resign from the Union government till the inquiry into the crash is completed.
"Serious questions have been raised about the company VSR and its links with Rammohan Naidu's party (TDP). These links must be investigated by an independent and competent authority, preferably in collaboration with international agencies," Pawar said in the letter, a copy of which was marked to Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Mohol, however, said the Directorate General of Civil Aviation has already released a press statement in which the apex aviation body has clarified on everything related to the ongoing inquiry.
"The statement released from the agency has informed that the preliminary report will be released before February 28. Everything about the investigation is kept in front of all and the report will be made public. I do not want to comment on anybody's remarks," Mohol said.
On February 19, the civil aviation ministry had said a preliminary report will be made public within 30 days of the accident.
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Shafali Nigam is a Senior Correspondent with the Times Group, covering civil aviation, education, women and child affairs, and politics. With over sev...View More
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