SC rejects petition for independent safety audit of Air India
After the devastating crash of Air India flight AI 171 near Ahmedabad—where 241 people onboard and 19 on the ground lost their lives—the Supreme Court has turned down a request for an independent safety audit focused just on Air India.
The judges made it clear: airline safety checks should apply to everyone, not single out one company.
Petition withdrawn after court's observation
The petitioner wanted an international audit led by a retired Supreme Court judge and stricter oversight from aviation authorities.
But the court questioned why only Air India should be under the microscope, suggesting that if someone has specific complaints, they can use consumer laws instead.
In the end, the petition was withdrawn so concerns could be raised with the right authorities.
Crash details and compensation offered by Tata Group
The Boeing 787-8 crashed soon after takeoff due to a fuel switch error, leaving just one survivor among 242 passengers and crew.
The Tata Group (which owns Air India) is offering ₹1 crore compensation per victim's family and set up a ₹500 crore trust for long-term support.