Desk Correspondent, Mumbai – NCP MLA Rohit Pawar on Tuesday called for a rigorous CID investigation into Nashik-based spiritual leader Ashok Kharat, alleging a prima facie link between the self-styled godman and the January 28 plane crash that killed former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. Speaking to reporters after visiting the CID office in Pune, Rohit Pawar claimed to have submitted evidence suggesting that Kharat may have played a role in the events leading up to the fatal Learjet 45 crash at Baramati airport.

The allegations center on claims of occult rituals and suspicious financial activity occurring around the time of the accident. Rohit Pawar alleged that a "small political leader" from Baramati, who was in contact with individuals close to Ajit Pawar, had visited Kharat to perform rituals, including the hanging of a goat near the late leader’s residence. He further questioned a sudden spike in transactions in Kharat’s bank accounts on January 27 and 28, noting that Kharat—who was arrested in March on unrelated charges of sexual exploitation—had reportedly warned a farmer about an impending attack on the Pawar family.

The fatal crash, which claimed the lives of Ajit Pawar and four others, is currently the subject of multiple inquiries, including an Accidental Death Report being handled by the CID and a separate probe by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau. While Rohit Pawar expressed frustration over the absence of key officials during his CID visit, authorities have confirmed that a "Zero FIR" previously filed in Bengaluru has been integrated into the ongoing investigation. The DGCA and the National Transportation Safety Board continue to examine the aircraft's technical data to determine the official cause of the tragedy.