Zero FIR in Ajit Pawar crash an attempt to defame Maharashtra, says Fadnavis

The zero FIR registered in Bengaluru in connection with the January 28 plane crash that killed then Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar is an alleged attempt by the neighboring Congress-led Karnataka government to “defame” the State, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Wednesday.

Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) [NCP-SP] MLA Rohit Pawar, nephew of Ajit Pawar, said on Tuesday that he has filed a zero FIR in Bengaluru as the Maharashtra police failed to register an FIR on his complaint regarding alleged negligence in the air crash.

Responding to the motion moved by the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly, Mr. Fadnavis said, “What Karnataka did was to defame Maharashtra by alleging that the investigation in the Ajit Pawar matter was not conducted fairly. Karnataka should have told you.” [Rohit Pawar] Zero FIR cannot be registered here.”

Mr. Fadnavis said he did not doubt the NCP (SP) MLA’s actions or intentions. He, however, disputed the perception that the Bharatiya Janata Party was trying to prevent an impartial investigation into the matter or registration of an FIR.

He said investigation by the Criminal Investigation Department is ongoing and an Accidental Death Report (ADR) has been registered. Mr. Fadnavis added that the State government has also written to the Center seeking initiation of a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe as per the family’s wishes.

“Why should we try to prevent an FIR? We were very closely associated. Your feelings are strong. So you met Rahul Gandhi, who asked you to go to Karnataka to register a zero FIR. Or maybe you felt that way too. The Karnataka government has no right to accept this zero FIR. The rule is that if the victim is not capable of registering an FIR in a particular jurisdiction, a zero FIR can be registered. If this system continues, our legislators will file an FIR against the Karnataka CM.” [Siddaramaiah] in Mumbai. This is not the purpose of zero FIR. You may be a victim and you have every right to be so. But this is not the process. You can approach the court, which can direct registration of FIR,” Mr. Fadnavis said.

He added that everyone in the parliament wants the matter to be investigated impartially and has strong feelings on this issue. “We will not spare anyone involved in a conspiracy against Ajit Pawar. We will do everything possible to find and bring them to justice,” he said.

Addressing Mr. Rohit Pawar’s concern that the State government has refused to register an FIR, the Chief Minister said: “In case of an accident, an ADR is registered to give effect to the law. After investigation, if it is found that it is a conspiracy and not an accident, once a criminal complaint is filed, it is converted into an FIR. There is no difference between FIR and ADR. Both these tools are used to give effect to the law.”