Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis dismissed a 'zero FIR' registered in Bengaluru in connection with the plane crash that killed former deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar as a 'strategic attempt' to malign the state's image.
Fadnavis, who holds the Home portfolio, said the First Information Report registered in Karnataka was politically motivated and could set a dangerous precedent.
He explained that the case is currently registered as an Accidental Death Report (ADR) and that forensic reports, including DNA and viscera analysis, ruled out alcohol consumption, poisoning or illegal carriage of extra fuel.
The preliminary report of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) found that visibility at the time of the crash was 3,000 metres, below the required 5,000 metres, Fadnavis said.
The chief minister acknowledged the pilot's past suspensions but said he was recertified after undergoing training in the United States.
Fadnavis said the government would leave no stone unturned to uncover the truth and that the state government has requested the Centre to involve the CBI in the probe.
