Mumbai, Feb. 18 -- Amid mounting speculation over the plane crash that killed former deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, senior leaders of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), including deputy chief minister Sunetra Pawar and national working president Praful Patel, met chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday, demanding a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The delegation, comprising Sunetra Pawar, her son Parth Pawar, Patel, state president Sunil Tatkare and medical education minister Hasan Mushrif, submitted a memorandum seeking a CBI inquiry into the crash. Ajit Pawar died in a plane crash while he was heading to Baramati on January 28. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Tatkare said the chief minister assured that he would write to the Union home ministry requesting a CBI probe. The crash is currently being investigated by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), while the state Crime Investigation Department (CID) is conducting a parallel inquiry. The demand follows allegations made by Ajit's nephew and NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar, who questioned the circumstances surrounding the crash. Notably, the memorandum submitted to the CM incorporated the questions raised by Rohit during his February 10 press conference. It cited serious irregularities and suspicious circumstances, and flagged several issues requiring investigation. "Last-minute changes in the flight crew composition, requiring examination of operational decision-making and authorization; clear inconsistencies related to traffic control communications and runway clearance sequencing; concerns regarding the functioning and integrity of critical onboard safety warning systems; absence of any recorded distress communications despite proximity to the landing phase; issues requiring forensic evaluation, including crew fitness, maintenance, compliance, and aircraft systems, etc," the memorandum said....