A Zero FIR alleging a criminal conspiracy behind the death of former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash, registered at a police station in Bengaluru on a complaint by his nephew and MLA Rohit Pawar, has been transferred to the Maharashtra Police for further investigation.According to the police, the FIR, registered on March 23 at the High Grounds Police Station, was transferred to the Baramati Rural police in Maharashtra.Ajit Pawar and four others were killed on January 28, 2026, when a Bombardier Learjet 45 (VT-SSK), operated by VSR Ventures Private Limited, crashed near Baramati airport in Pune district while flying from Mumbai.Also Read | ‘Somebody powerful is protecting DGCA officials, VSR,’ says Rohit Pawar, submits statement to CID‘Larger criminal conspiracy’In his complaint filed under Section 173(1) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, Rohit Pawar said he had earlier approached the Marine Drive and Baramati police stations in February, but no FIR was registered.He also alleged that the Pune CID was examining only the Accidental Death Report (ADR) angle, prompting him to seek a broader criminal probe independent of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau.In the FIR, the NCP(SP) leader alleged that the crash was the result of a “larger criminal conspiracy” aimed at eliminating the senior leader, citing what he described as systemic violations of aviation safety norms, falsification of records, and gross negligence in maintenance and operations.Story continues below this adQuoting findings attributed to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, the FIR stated, “Aircraft VT-SSK was being operated in systematic violation of mandatory safety standards. More gravely, investigation has revealed that VSR allegedly under-recorded the aircraft’s actual flight hours in official logbooks”.“Credible information suggests the aircraft may have, in fact, accumulated flight hours in excess of 8,000 hours, far beyond its certified safe operational limits.”Read more | ‘If VSR at fault, DGCA is also at fault’: MLA Rohit Pawar ups ante against aviation safety regulator over Ajit Pawar plane crashThe complaint further flags alleged technical and regulatory violations, including operating the aircraft close to its mandatory engine overhaul limit of 5,000 hours, discrepancies in certification records such as issuance of an airworthiness certificate prior to registration, and claims that the aircraft had previously been retired from service in the United States before being inducted into operations in India.Weather, last minute changesRohit Pawar also raised concerns over weather and landing conditions, pointing to discrepancies in visibility at the time. While informal assessments suggested visibility of 3,000 metres, official METAR data reportedly indicated around 2,000 metres with mist, below the minimum required for Visual Flight Rules, yet landing clearance was allegedly granted.Story continues below this adThe FIR questions last-minute changes to the flight crew, with the complainant alleging that the originally scheduled crew was replaced due to “traffic delays,” a claim he termed implausible. He further alleged that the pilot-in-command, Captain Sumit Kapoor, had a history of alcohol-related violations.Referring to the cockpit voice recording, the FIR stated, “In the final recorded seconds of the flight, Co-pilot Shambhavi Pathak transmitted the words ‘OH SHIT OH SHIT.’ Chief Pilot Kapoor was entirely silent, no emergency declaration, no distress call, no corrective action,” adding that “this complete absence of response… is consistent with either incapacitation due to alcohol or deliberate inaction.”The complaint also flags a series of circumstances it terms suspicious, including a delay of around 70 minutes in departure, a last-minute runway change before landing, absence of a go-around attempt despite a reportedly failed approach, a recent life insurance policy taken out for the chief pilot, and unexplained changes in Ajit Pawar’s travel schedule.