By Krishna Dua 
Ajit Pawar News, Plane Crash Investigation, Aviation Safety Issues, India Aviation News, Breaking News India
The Learjet 45XR crash of 26 January 2026 near Badlapur, Maharashtra, has rapidly evolved into one of the most politically explosive aviation incidents in recent Indian memory. The aircraft, chartered from Baramati Aviation Services—a company substantially owned by interests linked to Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar—collided mid-air with an unauthorized agricultural drone, killing all eight people on board. The tragedy has triggered a CBI investigation, suspension of the operator’s licence, nationwide safety audits of private charters, and a fierce political battle between the ruling Mahayuti coalition and the opposition MVA bloc.
Crash Recap: What Happened on Republic Day
The Learjet 45XR (VT-APJ) departed Pune Lohegaon at 14:48 hrs on 26 January carrying six passengers and two crew. The passengers included two senior MIDC officials and three executives from Baramati Agro Industries. The flight was cleared for descent to Mumbai Runway 27. At 15:17:05 hrs the crew reported “traffic alert, drone at 2 o’clock high”. Eight seconds later the aircraft struck a DJI Agras T40 drone flying at 9,500 ft in the Mumbai controlled airspace (where drone operations are prohibited beyond 400 ft without special clearance).
The collision severed the left wing and engine; the jet entered an unrecoverable spin and crashed in a sugarcane field near Badlapur at 15:18:10 hrs. Post-impact fire destroyed most of the wreckage. NDRF teams recovered remains by evening; DNA identification confirmed all eight fatalities.
Black-box data (CVR/FDR) recovered the same day shows no mechanical failure prior to impact. ATC issued a drone alert only 12 seconds after first radar contact. DGCA preliminary report (27 January) attributes the crash to “mid-air collision with unauthorized drone in controlled airspace”.
The Ajit Pawar Connection: Ownership Structure and Contracts
Baramati Aviation Services Pvt Ltd (BAS), the operator of the crashed aircraft, is owned as follows (latest MCA filings December 2025):
- Sunetra Pawar (Ajit Pawar’s wife) – 51% through family trusts
- Rohit Pawar (Ajit Pawar’s nephew, killed in crash) – 29%
- Other Pawar family members and associates – 20%
BAS was incorporated in 2018 and operates six business jets, mainly for VIP charters, corporate shuttles and occasional state-government contracts. In FY 2024–25 the company reported revenue of ₹152 crore and net profit of ₹24 crore.
The drone belonged to Baramati AgriTech Pvt Ltd, another Pawar-family-controlled entity (70% stake held by family trusts). It was being used for spraying on a 1,200-acre sugarcane block owned by the group under a 2025 Maharashtra Agri-Tech subsidy scheme. The drone operator did not file a flight plan or activate geo-fencing in the Mumbai Terminal Control Area.
Opposition leaders allege conflict of interest:
- MIDC (under Ajit Pawar’s Industries portfolio) has awarded multiple charter contracts to BAS since 2020.
- Baramati AgriTech received several state subsidies and pilot-project contracts during Ajit Pawar’s tenure as Agriculture Minister (2019–2023) and later as Deputy CM.
Political Firestorm: Opposition Demands, Government Response
Congress and NCP (Sharad Pawar) faction have launched a coordinated offensive:
- Sharad Pawar (28 January press conference): “A Deputy Chief Minister cannot remain in office when his family company is under CBI scanner for a fatal crash.”
- Supriya Sule: “This is not an accident; this is regulatory capture.”
- Uddhav Thackeray: “Mahayuti protects its own—Ajit Pawar must resign.”
The Mahayuti government has hit back:
- CM Eknath Shinde (28 January): “Tragedy is being politicised. Investigation is independent; no one is above the law.”
- BJP state president Chandrashekhar Bawankule: “Congress and NCP-Sharad are shedding crocodile tears. Where was their concern when farmers died in Baramati sugar mills?”
Ajit Pawar’s only public comment (28 January evening): “The pain of losing my nephew is personal. BAS will fully cooperate. I trust the CBI and DGCA to deliver justice.”
Investigation Status: Agencies, Timeline and Early Leads
A multi-agency probe is underway:
- Lead agency: CBI (took over 28 January evening on MHA direction)
- Supporting agencies: DGCA, AAIB, Maharashtra ATS, NSG forensics, CERT-In (cyber/drone angle)
- Crime location: FIR No. 68/2026 at Badlapur Police Station – Sections 304A (causing death by negligence), 120-B, 337, 338, 427 IPC + Explosives Act + Aircraft Rules + Drone Rules 2024.
Early leads:
- Drone pilot (27-year-old contract worker) arrested 28 January night; he claims he “forgot” to check geo-fencing.
- Drone was launched from a Baramati AgriTech farm 18 km from crash site; flight controller app showed no warning because geo-fencing was manually disabled.
- ATC Mumbai issued drone alert only after impact; system under upgradation since October 2025.
- No evidence of sabotage so far; preliminary view is “gross negligence + systemic failure”.
Timeline:
- Interim DGCA report: 10 February 2026
- AAIB final accident report: 30 April 2026
- CBI chargesheet target: 90 days from takeover
Aviation Safety Fallout: Immediate and Long-Term Measures
DGCA ordered:
- Immediate suspension of Baramati Aviation Services’ Air Operator Certificate (AOC).
- Nationwide audit of all private/charter operators in Maharashtra (48 companies, 138 aircraft).
- Mandatory real-time drone-detection radar at all airports with >10 movements/hour (installation deadline June 2026).
- Ban on agricultural drone flights within 15 km of controlled airspace unless prior ATC approval.
Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) announced:
- Review of all VIP/private-jet charters in Maharashtra.
- ₹500 crore fund for drone-detection infrastructure at 20 major airports.
- Mandatory annual third-party safety audit for operators with >3 aircraft.
Industry impact:
- Private-jet charter rates in Mumbai rose 12–15% overnight as operators face higher compliance costs.
- Drone-agri sector (₹2,800 crore market) faces 3-month regulatory freeze in Maharashtra.
Public and Media Pulse
Public anger is visible:
- Protests in Baramati and Pune on 28 January demanding “CBI probe without political cover”.
- #PawarCrashProbe and #AviationNepotism trending with 4.8 million combined posts.
- Families of MIDC officials announced civil suits seeking ₹20 crore compensation each.
Media coverage:
- Print: Front-page dominance in Marathi dailies (Lokmat, Sakal, Loksatta).
- TV: Republic Bharat and Times Now running 24×7 specials (“Dynasty Downfall” vs “Technical Tragedy”).
- Digital: YouTube channels (Dhruv Rathee-style explainers) gaining 2–5 million views each.
Conclusion: From Runway to Reckoning
The Learjet 45 crash of 26 January 2026 has become far more than an aviation accident. It is now a political, regulatory and public-relations crisis centred on Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s family aviation interests.
Whether the final investigation finds systemic negligence, regulatory capture, or simply a tragic chain of coincidences, the episode has already changed the conversation in Maharashtra politics. The image of a Pawar-family jet falling from the sky on Republic Day will remain etched in public memory for years.
As the CBI probe gathers pace and nationwide safety audits begin, one thing is certain: the crash has opened a window on the opaque intersection of political power and private aviation in India. The answers that emerge in the coming weeks and months may reshape power equations in the state for a long time to come.