NCP-SP MLA Rohit Pawar on Saturday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking the removal of Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu and an independent probe into the plane crash that killed Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on January 28.In his letter, a copy of which was also sent to Home Minister Amit Shah, Pawar alleged that the fatal crash near Baramati last month was not accidental but part of a larger conspiracy involving the air charter firm VSR.Addressing a press conference, the MLA raised questions over alleged links between the company and political figures, stating that the matter required a thorough and independent investigation, preferably with international collaboration. He said the seriousness of the allegations warranted a probe insulated from any domestic influence.Pawar, who is the nephew of Ajit Pawar and NCP-SP MP Supriya Sule, has in recent days repeatedly claimed sabotage in the crash.In the letter, he urged the PM to ensure accountability at the highest level, stating that given Ajit Pawar’s public life and contributions, the case deserved a transparent and credible investigation. He also pressed for the resignation of Naidu to ensure the inquiry remains free from any perceived conflict of interest.The MLA further claimed that his findings pointed to the involvement of influential individuals across business and political circles in the operations of the charter company. This, he argued, could compromise the fairness of any internal probe.He also flagged concerns about the role of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), urging that it be examined whether the regulator was compromised in any manner in relation to the company under scrutiny.Ajit Pawar and four others were killed when the chartered aircraft they were travelling in crashed barely 200 metres short of a tabletop runway at the Baramati airport in Pune district on January 28.Meanwhile, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has said a special audit of VSR Ventures, which commenced on February 4, is expected to conclude shortly, even as the technical probe into the accident gathers pace.The ministry said it had directed the DGCA to carry out a detailed review of the operator’s regulatory compliance, operational control systems, maintenance practices, crew training standards, safety management systems and monitoring of cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and flight data recorder (FDR) data.”The audit findings, once finalised, will be examined under the DGCA’s enforcement policy and procedure manual, and action will follow wherever violations are established,” the officials had said.The ministry has also asked the regulator to undertake special audits of other major non-scheduled operators and aerodromes engaged in VIP and VVIP operations. These inspections are being conducted in phases, with enforcement action to be initiated wherever required.