Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) founder Raj Thackeray questioned the refusal by the police to register an first information report (FIR) against VSR Ventures and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) over the January 28 air crash that killed Deputy CM Ajit Pawar.
Speaking to media persons on Friday after Ajit Pawar’s nephew and Sharad Pawar-led NCP MLA Rohit Pawar met him at his ‘Shivtirth’ residence, Raj Thackeray said, “I had asked whether the accident happened due to fog or some other factor. But Rohit Pawar’s FIR is not being registered. It is a serious matter.”
In Mumbai, he said, the police were willing to register an FIR, but the DCP came there and said that no FIR should be registered. “What is this going on? It may be a mere accident, but if the family wants to investigate, why is the government creating obstacles? Sunetra Pawar is in power today and she should pay attention to this because Ajit Pawar was her husband. This was an FIR regarding her husband’s accident, but maybe she is under pressure from the government,” he said.
“Even after Rohit Pawar tried to register an FIR at two places, he could not do so. If pressure is being exerted on the police station, why then is this being done? Such an unfortunate accident should not have happened to anyone. However, if this is not investigated properly, we are taking Maharashtra in the wrong direction. NCP MPs should raise this issue during the assembly session as well. If an FIR is not being registered in the case of a person like Ajit Pawar, the government will have to explain what is the reason behind it,” Raj Thackeray said.
“As per the law, anyone can register an FIR anywhere in the state. But if obstacles are being created for a person who had gone to register an FIR, is there some reason behind it? So why is there so much fear regarding an FIR? This is creating suspicion. The government is creating suspicion about this. The government should give answers about these things. I don’t know what politics is behind this. The government must answer why it is against an FIR being registered in the case of the late Ajit Dada’s air crash,” Raj Thackeray said.