Inside Ajit Pawar's Baramati Crash: Mystery Deepens As Sources Say Black Box Intact Amid DGCA's 'Destroyed in Fire' Claim

The ongoing investigation into the tragic January 28, 2026, plane crash in Baramati that claimed the life of Maharashtra's then-Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others has taken a new turn amid conflicting claims about the aircraft's black box (flight recorders).

Top sources close to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) have confirmed that the black box was recovered intact from the crash site and secured in a safe locker at the Baramati police station. It was sealed by the Investigator-in-Charge, Ramchandran (from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, or AAIB). The condition of the locker was personally inspected by the DG, AAIB, on January 29, 2026. The black box was later collected by the IIC on February 2, 2026, and transported to Delhi for analysis.

Ajit Pawar's close aide and former corporator Kiran Gujar, who serves as the Taluka Chief of Baramati, has publicly affirmed that the black box remains safe and intact. He referenced a report confirming its condition, emphasizing that it was signed by officers on all four sides and duly recorded in the station diary. Gujar called for a fair and accelerated investigation, dismissing contradictory reports about damage as unreliable.

This development contrasts sharply with earlier statements from official probes, where the AAIB reported that both the Digital Flight Data Recorder (DFDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR), collectively known as the black box, sustained fire damage due to intense heat exposure during the crash. The DFDR data was successfully downloaded, but the CVR has required detailed technical examination, with some reports suggesting potential need for foreign assistance due to thermal damage.

The discrepancy has fueled allegations of contradictory versions from authorities, including claims by Pawar family associates and political figures that the black box could not have been "badly damaged" or destroyed as easily as suggested, given its design to withstand extreme conditions.

Amid heightened scrutiny, NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar (Ajit Pawar's nephew) reached Baramati Taluka Police Station on February 26, 2026, accompanied by Parth Pawar and others, to lodge an FIR against VSR Ventures (the charter operator of the Learjet 45 involved in the crash). Local supporters gathered, chanting slogans in support of the late leader. Sources indicate that Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis contacted Rohit Pawar and invited him to Mumbai for discussions.

The crash has sparked widespread demands for transparency, with calls for an independent probe and questions over aviation safety lapses. The DGCA has grounded several VSR Ventures aircraft following a safety audit revealing non-compliances. A preliminary AAIB report is expected within ICAO timelines, but political tensions continue to mount over the handling of evidence and the investigation's direction.

Authorities have stressed that the probe remains ongoing, with multiple agencies involved, to establish the full sequence of events leading to the fatal incident.