Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday (July 10, 2026) said the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is expected to submit its final report into the death of then Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash by January next year. Pawar died along with four others after their Learjet 45 plane crashed near Baramati airport on January 28 this year, following which the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) launched a probe.

Replying to the debate on the opposition-sponsored motion last week in the Assembly, Mr. Fadnavis said the AAIB is expected to submit its final report by January next year.

He said the preliminary report has already been received and investigators have reconstructed and retrieved digital evidence, including data from the aircraft's black box.

"The government will wait for the AAIB's final findings before taking any further decision," he said while emphasising that aircraft accident investigations are scientific processes that often take years.

Referring to the AAIB investigation, Mr. Fadnavis said financial records, including bank accounts, insurance policies and share market transactions examined during the probe had not revealed anything suspicious so far.

He added that available evidence had been analysed and the government would act only after the final investigation report is received.

Pawar, his personal security officer and attendant, as well as two cockpit crew -- pilot-in-command Sumit Kapur and first officer Shambhavi Pathak -- were killed when the Learjet 45 aircraft crashed during its second landing attempt.

The Opposition, especially NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar, has been seeking a probe by multiple expert agencies into the incident, alleging irregularities and discrepancies.