MUMBAI, March 25 -- The Bengaluru police have registered a case in connection with the January 28 plane crash that killed Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, following a complaint by his nephew and NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar alleging a "larger criminal conspiracy". The case was initially not registered in Maharashtra despite earlier complaints, prompting Rohit Pawar to approach Bengaluru police. Pawar died along with four others when a Bombardier Learjet 45 aircraft, operated by VSR Ventures Pvt Ltd, crashed near Baramati airport while flying from Mumbai. The FIR was registered at High Grounds police station, Bengaluru, and has been transferred to Maharashtra Police for investigation. Based on Rohit's complaint, the police registered 'Zero FIR', which can be registered at any police station, irrespective of where the offence was committed. The FIR is registered under Sections 61, 103, 105, 106, 125, 238 and 336 (2) of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita. In his complaint, Rohit Pawar alleged systemic violations of aviation safety norms, falsification of maintenance records and gross negligence in aircraft operations, which he claimed led to the crash. He alleged that the aircraft VT-SSK was being operated in systematic violation of mandatory safety standards. At the time of the crash, the aircraft had accumulated approximately 4,915 flight hours, leaving only about 85 hours before the mandatory engine Time Before Overhaul ('TBO') threshold of 5,000 hours was reached, he contended. "Despite operating dangerously close to this limit, VSR continued to deploy the aircraft for commercial operations, placing the crew and passengers at heightened risk of mechanical malfunction," said Rohit Pawar. He cited findings of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), which had grounded aircraft operated by the company following a safety audit that flagged serious lapses. Rohit Pawar further alleged irregularities in certification records. He said, "The Airworthiness Certificate for the aircraft was issued on December 16, 2021, while the Aircraft Registration Certificate was only issued on 27th December 2022, a full year later." Standard aviation procedure requires that registration precede airworthiness certification. According to the FIR, visibility on the day of the accident was informally assessed by a flying training organization using a hand-drawn chart, which reported visibility at 3,000 meters. Indian Civil Aviation Requirements mandate that no aircraft may be cleared for landing when ground visibility is below five kilometers. Despite these regulations, landing clearance was allegedly issued. He also questioned last-minute changes in the flight crew and the Chief Pilot Sumit Kapoor's alleged past record of alcohol-related violations. "The original crew scheduled for the flight, Captain Sahil Madan and Co-pilot Yash, were last-minute replaced by Kapoor and Co-pilot Shambhavi Pathak, purportedly because the original crew was 'stuck in traffic' at 6.30 am. This explanation is implausible given the time of day," Rohit said. Additionally, he flagged unexplained delays in the flight's departure and a last-minute runway change before take-off....