Mumbai: Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) MLA Rohit Pawar on Wednesday claimed that police officials at the Marine Drive police station declined to register a First Information Report (FIR) he sought to file in connection with the Ajit Pawar plane crash case.

Speaking to reporters, Pawar said he visited the police station to lodge an FIR regarding what he described as a cognizable offence. According to him, both a junior officer authorised to register FIRs and the Senior Police Inspector (PI) initially engaged with his complaint.

Pawar stated that after discussions with the officers, they began processing the FIR and even arranged for a laptop to prepare the document. However, he alleged that the process was halted after the arrival of a senior officer.

“As we were in the process of printing the FIR, the Additional DCP came in and said the FIR could not be registered,” Pawar told the media. He maintained that under existing legal provisions, police are obligated to register an FIR if the complaint relates to a cognizable offence.

He further emphasised that filing an FIR is a fundamental right of every citizen, adding that refusal to register such complaints undermines due process.

Before he visited the police station, Pawar had indicated that multiple FIRs were being planned. He said these complaints would target various individuals and entities, including associates of VSR, officials from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), and the company ARROW, which allegedly approved the flight.

Pawar also mentioned that one of the FIRs would remain unnamed, citing widespread allegations that the crash could involve a criminal conspiracy.

Additionally, Pawar alleged possible connections between VSR’s company and Union Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu. He claimed that these purported links, along with VSR’s relationships with several BJP leaders, may have contributed to the absence of direct action.

Rohit Pawar said that following Ajit Pawar’s death, questions persist over whether the incident was accidental or deliberate, and called for a comprehensive investigation.