"Was the pilot a suicide bomber?": NCP MLC Amol Mitkari on Ajit Pawar's Baramati plane crash

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], February 24 (ANI): Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLC Amol Mitkari on Monday drew a comparison to Ajit Pawar's Baramati plane crash with Rajiv Gandhi's assassination by the LTTE.
Addressing the press conference, Mitkari alleged that the pilot might have been a suicide bomber targeting the late Deputy Chief Minister.
"I have been saying this from the first day, that the way the pilots of the VSR company were issued an insurance in December, of 50-50 crores, we have received such information. Even after that, the VSR company has not given any clarification on this. If this had happened, then would that pilot have been sent as a suicide bomber? And I have given this example in Agola, that the way a female terrorist was going to Rajiv Gandhi's assembly, the way she was attacked, and she died a painful death, that type of a suicide bomber, this pilot named Sumit Kapoor, wasn't he the one? An inquiry should be conducted to recover the data from the black box," said Mitkari.
Meanwhile, Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol said that the preliminary report into the plane crash that claimed the life of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar will be released before February 28, reiterating that the probe is being conducted as per laid-down norms.
Mohol further clarified that the timeline for the preliminary findings had already been communicated through official channels.
"It has also been clearly stated in the latest press release that the Preliminary report will be released within one month. The details mentioned in the press release are what we are conveying. The primary report will be released before the 28th, that is, within a month, and thereafter the final report will be issued," he added.
Responding to questions regarding multiple allegations levelled by NCP (SP) MLA and Ajit Pawar's nephew, Rohit Pawar, Mohol declined to engage in political commentary and emphasised the role of investigative agencies.
"I do not wish to comment on what others are saying. However, as I am the Minister of this department, I can say that the investigation agencies, whether it is the AAIB or the DGC, regularly share information through press releases," he said.
Earlier, 66-year-old Ajit Pawar died on the morning of January 28 after the aircraft carrying him crashed while attempting to land at the Baramati airport in Pune district. The plane crash-landed near the runway threshold, killing all five people on board. Among the deceased were Pawar, his personal security officer, a flight attendant, and two pilots. Pawar was travelling from Mumbai to Baramati to campaign for the Zilla Panchayat elections. (ANI)