Rohit Pawar Raises Safety Concerns Over Shinde’s 2023 Flight, Points To VSR
Rohit Pawar alleges Shinde’s 2023 Davos flight faced a potential conspiracy over Iran.
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLA Rohit Pawar on Wednesday alleged that Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s life was potentially at risk during his 2023 trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos, claiming a possible aviation conspiracy involving the private jet operator VSR. Pawar raised the issue at a press conference in Mumbai, drawing parallels to a recent aviation accident that killed late Ajit Pawar.
According to Rohit Pawar, the incident occurred between January 16 and 20, 2023, when Shinde, then Maharashtra Chief Minister, and senior officials were flying to Zurich after a refueling stop in Bahrain. He alleged that the plane entered Iranian airspace without the necessary prior clearances, prompting a warning from the Iranian Air Force that the aircraft would be shot down if it did not turn back. He claimed a similar situation occurred near Iraqi airspace.
Pawar stressed that strict flight plans and prior Air Traffic Control (ATC) clearances from all concerned countries are mandatory for VIP movements. He suggested that the failure to comply indicated negligence by VSR, raising questions about whether the incident was accidental or a deliberate attempt to compromise Shinde’s safety.
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The NCP leader also referenced the recent plane crash that killed Ajit Pawar, alleging that a “recce” had been conducted by unknown individuals before the incident. He questioned inconsistencies in official safety reports, noting that the 2023 report on Shinde’s flight was signed by an Assistant Director, while the report on Ajit Pawar’s crash did not name the investigating officer.
Rohit Pawar further claimed that Ajit Pawar’s aircraft had a history of under-logged flying hours, potentially obscuring its actual wear and tear. He alleged that, despite experienced pilots, VIP protocols were violated during the crash by attempting to land in zero visibility conditions. Pawar demanded that an FIR be filed against all officials of the “Aero Group” responsible for these decisions.
He urged Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to clarify the 2023 Bahrain-Iran incident and suggested that data from Bahrain’s aviation authorities could verify his claims. Pawar’s statements underscore ongoing concerns about VIP aviation safety and the handling of high-profile aircraft incidents in Maharashtra.
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