'Something happened behind curtains': Raut on Ajit Pawar's death

Ajit's uncle and NCP-SP chief Sharad Pawar, however, has urged people not to politicise the death of his nephew.

Shiv Sena-UBT MP Sanjay Raut on Monday hinted at foul play in the death of former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash.

Expressing "suspicion" over Ajit Pawar's death, Raut said the BJP had threatened the NCP chief with irrigation scam files after he expressed a desire for the merger of two NCP factions, adding that the former Maharashtra Deputy CM "died mysteriously within 10 days".

Raut demanded an investigation into the plane crash incident.

'BJP threatened Ajit Pawar with irrigation scam files'

"Questions will indeed be raised on the accident of Ajit Dada; questions should indeed be raised. The manner in which a leader like Ajit Pawar, a tall leader of Maharashtra, died in a plane crash and the facts which are coming to light. It should be investigated. I think there is something dubious here. These questions are being raised by Ajit Dada's party. His death is suspicious," Raut said.

"Something did happen behind the curtains. Ajit Dada had said that he wants to 'return home', after that, the people of the BJP threatened him with irrigation scam files. Ajit Pawar then responded to them over the same scam files. He died mysteriously within 10 days of that. What do we understand from this? This reminds us of Justice Loya. Did someone do something here?" he added.

Ajit Pawar, 66, died on January 28 after the aircraft carrying him crashed while attempting to land at the Baramati airport in Pune district. Among the deceased were his personal security officer, a flight attendant and two pilots.

Just three days later, his wife Sunetra Pawar was sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister.

Ajit Pawar's party MLA demands high-level probe

Earlier, NCP leader Amol Mitkari had said that there were some suspicions about the circumstances of Ajit Pawar's death and demanded a high-level probe into the tragedy.

"A prominent leader of Maharashtra, Ajit Dada, is no longer with us... There were district council elections recently, and he was coming to Baramati for election campaigning. In his final moments, there was a sudden change of route, a sudden change of pilot. Not a single piece of paper was burned, but the bodies were burned. This raises some suspicions," he said.

"I have requested the Chief Minister of Maharashtra to ensure justice by ordering a CBI inquiry. He has given an assurance that a CBI inquiry will be conducted, and I myself will try to meet with Union Home Minister Amit Shah next week to ensure a high-level investigation," he added.

Ajit's uncle and NCP-SP chief Sharad Pawar, however, has urged people not to politicise the death of his nephew, saying that the plane crash was an accident.

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has initiated a formal investigation into the accident that claimed the lives of Ajit Pawar and four others.