Aviation Regulator Initiates Review of VSR Ventures Operations Involving Ajit Pawar

DGCA Orders Special Audit of VSR Ventures After Ajit Pawar’s Plane Crash

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has ordered a special audit of VSR Ventures, the private jet operator involved in the Learjet 45XR crash that killed Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others in Baramati.

The audit, expected by February 15, will review the company’s maintenance records, safety protocols, and aircraft logbooks. Meanwhile, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) continues its probe into the circumstances of the crash, which occurred during a second landing attempt in poor visibility.

VSR Ventures has previously faced international scrutiny. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) revoked the company’s Third Country Operator (TCO) certification after VSR failed to respond to queries about a September 2023 Learjet accident in Mumbai.

Based in New Delhi, VSR Ventures operates private jet charters, medical evacuations, and aviation consultancy. The Learjet 45XR involved in the Baramati crash, VT-SSK, was a 1990s-era “super-light” business jet comparable to the Cessna Citation Excel.

Authorities are investigating whether VSR Ventures adhered to maintenance and safety norms, amid growing concerns over regulatory compliance both in India and abroad.