NCP (SP) MLA alleges attempt to edit black box data of plane involved in crash that killed Ajit

Pune: Nationalist Congress Party (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar on Friday claimed V K Singh, owner of VSR Ventures, which operated the aircraft involved in the crash that killed ex- Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, was reportedly trying to edit the jet's "black box" data.

He cautioned that any tampering with the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) data of the aircraft, a Learjet 45, will be detected during forensic audit.

"It is heard that V K Singh, owner of VSR company and an expert in tampering data, is reportedly trying to edit the FDR data (of the aircraft involved in the crash)," said Rohit Pawar in a post on microblogging site X.

A Flight Data Recorder (commonly known as black box) is device that records various parameters and operational data of an aircraft, which can be used in accident investigations.

The Opposition legislator stated that DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) or AAIB (Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau) personnel currently assisting or planning to assist in this activity should note that any tampering with the device will be detected during forensic audit.

"Once a committee is formed, forensic audit (an exercise which helps in determining cause of an airplane crash) will be conducted, so no one should dare to tamper with the data," he warned.

Some officers may have been compromised, but many officers in the DGCA remain upright and honest, Rohit Pawar said.

A Learjet 45 aircraft, operated by VSR Ventures, crashed near the Baramati air strip in Pune district on January 28, killing Ajit Pawar and four others.

The NCP (SP) MLA, who has been raising doubts about the crash, has sought registration of an FIR against VSR Ventures.

The legislator, a kin of Ajit Pawar, has met several Opposition leaders, including Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal, urging them to raise the issue of the plane crash in Parliament, which is currently having its budget session.

The state Crime Investigation Department (CID), which is probing the crash, has already recorded the statement VSR Ventures owner Singh.

The CID has said its focus was to ascertain if sabotage or criminal negligence led to the Baramati tragedy.