“Something Dubious”: Sanjay Raut Demands Investigation into Ajit Pawar’s Fatal Plane Crash

The doubts raised by Raut mirror a broader pattern of public skepticism regarding the deaths of high-profile political and judicial figures in India.

By Rakesh Raman
New Delhi | February 2, 2026

NEW DELHI – Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut has raised serious allegations regarding the “suspicious” and “mysterious” death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP chief Ajit Pawar, calling for a thorough investigation into the plane crash that killed the leader last week.

Allegations of Political Foul Play

Ajit Pawar died on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, when his aircraft crashed near Baramati. Speaking to the news agency ANI, Raut suggested that “something happened behind the curtains,” claiming the circumstances surrounding the crash warrant intense scrutiny given Pawar’s political stature.

Raut alleged that in the final phase of his life, Ajit Pawar was actively seeking to reunite the two factions of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and had initiated talks with his uncle and party founder, Sharad Pawar. Raut claimed this move to “return home” politically had unsettled certain sections who opposed the reconciliation because it would have “shut their shops”.

The ‘Sinchan Scam’ Connection

The Sena (UBT) leader further alleged that Ajit Pawar was facing significant political pressure just days before the accident. According to Raut, members of the BJP had allegedly threatened Pawar with files related to the Sinchan (irrigation) scam.

“Ajit Pawar then responded to them over the same Sinchan Scam files. He died mysteriously within 10 days of that,” Raut stated, drawing a direct parallel to the controversial death of Justice B.H. Loya. Raut questioned, “Did someone do something here?”.

[ Also Read: A Risk Analysis of Suspicious Deaths Among Global Political Figures ]

Broader Pattern of Institutional Skepticism

The doubts raised by Raut mirror a broader pattern of public skepticism regarding the deaths of high-profile political and judicial figures in India. Sources note that several prominent figures have died under circumstances that sparked debate during the current administration’s tenure, including:

• Judge B.H. Loya (2014): The judge presiding over the Sohrabuddin Sheikh case, whose death remains a point of controversy.
• Gopinath Munde (2014): A senior BJP Union Minister who died in a road accident just eight days after the first Modi government was sworn in.
• Vijay Rupani (2025): The former Gujarat Chief Minister who also died in a plane crash.
• The “Quartet”: The deaths of four senior BJP leaders—Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley, Ananth Kumar, and Manohar Parrikar—between 2018 and 2019, which facilitated a rapid generational shift in the party’s leadership.

Critics argue these cases often leave a trail of doubt regarding the autonomy of investigating institutions.

Government Response

In the wake of the crash, the ruling Mahayuti alliance acted quickly to fill the leadership vacuum, appointing Ajit Pawar’s wife, Sunetra Pawar, as the new Deputy Chief Minister. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has dismissed Raut’s claims regarding a potential NCP merger, stating that had such a move been planned, “Ajit dada would have told us about it”.

Meanwhile, The Smokescreen 2026 report explains the controversies in the PM Modi-led BJP regime. It is a long-term investigative research project that examines how electoral opacity, institutional capture, media narrative control, and manufactured nationalism are used to sustain the illusion of democratic legitimacy in India despite systemic democratic backsliding.