NCP to urge Fadnavis for early completion of probe into Ajit Pawar's fatal plane crash; press for CBI enquiry

Mumbai, Nov 4 (IANS) The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) core committee, headed by party president and Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Sunetra Pawar, on Wednesday decided that the party's ministers and legislators will meet Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis after Diwali, with a plea to ensure speedy completion of the ongoing CID probe into the death of Ajit Pawar in a plane crash on January 28 in Baramati. 

The aim is also not to give an opportunity to the Opposition, especially NCP(SP) Legislator, Rohit Pawar, who has been taking up the issue repeatedly and accusing the Fadnavis government of delay in completing the probe. The core committee will also make a fresh plea for a CBI probe into the case.

The core committee also took a decision to fight the NCP vs NCP(SP) case in the Supreme Court by fielding veteran legal counsels.

Incidentally, the core committee refrained from discussing the ongoing tussle between the senior and youth leaders over the NCP's functioning and implementation of a strategy to consolidate its position in the state and increase the party's pan-India presence.

The core committee meeting was attended by NCP Working President Praful Patel, Maharashtra unit chief Sunil Tatkare, ministers Chhagan Bhujbal and Hasan Mushrif, former ministers Dilip Walse Patil and Dhananjay Munde, party MP Parth Pawar and youth leader Jay Pawar.

NCP sources privy to today's core committee's decision said it was taken days after Ajit Pawar's son Jay Pawar on October 28 visited the CID headquarters in Pune to review the investigation's progress. He requested an update on the timeline, pending technical clearance reports, and stressed the need for transparency and swift completion.

The CID has been actively reviewing operational elements and conducting initial enquiries alongside family members and political representatives.

CID officials maintained that the investigation is progressing steadily, citing that crucial technical reports and inputs from specialised civil aviation agencies are being systematically evaluated to conclude the final probe report.

As far as a CBI probe is concerned, in February 2026, following demands from Deputy CM Sunetra Pawar and other senior NCP leaders, the Maharashtra government formally submitted a recommendation to transfer the case to the CBI. The decision aimed to ensure transparency given public concern and political allegations surrounding the crash.

CM Fadnavis subsequently clarified that while the recommendation for a CBI enquiry stands, the CBI's active criminal/sabotage probe will formally proceed once the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) releases its final technical findings. Technical evaluations by the AAIB generally take up to a year to determine the exact cause-of-crash factors.

Meanwhile, the core committee also reviewed the present status of the NCP vs NCP(SP) case in the Supreme Court and it was unanimously decided to fight it with the help of a battery of senior lawyers.

The status of the dispute between the Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar factions of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in the Supreme Court revolves around interim directions regarding party symbols and names, alongside the pending challenge against the Election Commission of India's (ECI) decision.

The Sharad Pawar faction filed a petition challenging the ECI’s decision that recognised Ajit Pawar’s group as the official NCP and granted them the original 'Clock' symbol.

The Supreme Court issued notice to the Ajit Pawar faction while allowing the underlying dispute to be adjudicated on its merits.

The court provisionally permitted Ajit Pawar's group to use the 'Clock' symbol for elections, subject to adding a prominent disclaimer in all campaign materials and advertisements stating that the symbol's allocation remains sub-judice and subject to the court’s final decision.

The Supreme Court granted official recognition to the name 'Nationalist Congress Party – Sharadchandra Pawar' (NCP-SP) and allotted them the 'Man Blowing Turha' symbol.

The Supreme Court directed the Ajit Pawar faction to strictly refrain from using the photos, name, or videos of founder Sharad Pawar in their political campaigns or publicity materials, instructing them to "stand on their own feet" and create their distinct identity.

The main constitutional challenge—regarding whether the ECI's application of the majority test within the legislative wing was legally sound—remains before a Supreme Court Bench headed by the Chief Justice of India. The interim arrangements regarding party names and symbols continue to govern both factions pending the court's final order, said party sources.

Today's core committee meeting took place amid growing tension between the veterans and 'Young Turks'. It was the second meeting after the core committee met on Monday soon after senior leaders met Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday and complained about the unilateral functioning of NCP MP Parth Pawar and their neglect in decision-making.

Today's core committee meeting is also important as party legislators and ministers on Tuesday expressed serious concerns over the frictions and claimed the party was weakening in the absence of unity.

Earlier, in a meeting held on Tuesday, NCP leaders and MLAs voiced strong concerns, stating that the party appears weak and that grassroots members are left in the dark given the ongoing friction in the senior leadership.

--IANS

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