DGCA also at fault as it admits non-compliance in VSR Ventures: Rohit Pawar

MUMBAI: (Feb 25) NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar on Wednesday attacked aviation regulator DGCA, claiming that it had earlier attempted to give aviation company VSR Ventures a “clean chit” before later admitting to safety lapses by it.

VSR Ventures Private Limited was the company that operated the ill-fated Learjet 45 aircraft (VT-SSK) plane which crashed near the Baramati airstrip in Pune district on January 28, killing Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar and four others.

Speaking to reporters on the Vidhan Bhavan premises here, Pawar said the report issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) at 1.36 pm on January 28 pm had stated that during the last regulatory audit conducted in February 2025, no "Level-I findings" were reported against VSR Ventures.