'Cannot blame Air India pilot for crash': SC notifies Centre
What's the story
The Supreme Court has observed that no blame could be placed on the pilot of an Air India flight that crashed in Ahmedabad in June, killing 260 people. The observation came during a hearing of a petition filed by Pushkar Raj Sabharwal, the 91-year-old father of Commander Sumeet Sabharwal, one of the pilots involved. The petitioner is seeking an independent judicial probe into the incident, claiming current investigations by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) are not independent.
Pilot's innocence
'Nobody can blame him for anything': Justice Surya Kant
"It's extremely unfortunate, this crash, but you should not carry this burden that your son is being blamed. Nobody can blame him for anything," Justice Surya Kant said. Justice Bagchi also clarified that there was no suggestion of fault against the pilot in AAIB's preliminary report. "One pilot asked whether the fuel was cut off by the other; the other said no. There's no suggestion of fault in that report," the judge noted.
Investigation concerns
AAIB investigation not impartial, petitioners argue
Senior Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, representing the petitioner, argued that the ongoing investigation by AAIB lacked independence. "I am the father of the Commander of the plane...I am 91 years old. This is a non-independent investigation. It should have been independent. It has taken four months," Sankaranarayanan submitted. He urged for a judicially monitored probe under Rule 12 of the Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules. The bench took note of the submissions and issued notice to the Union Government.
Safety concerns
Petitioners seek probe by aviation experts
During the hearing, Sankaranarayanan also highlighted ongoing safety concerns with Boeing aircraft worldwide, arguing that the Ahmedabad crash should be seen in this larger context. Justice Bagchi, however, noted that challenging the investigation process could mean questioning the statutory framework of the investigation. "If you challenge the investigation, you have to challenge the statutory provisions of the Act itself," the judge said.
Media scrutiny
SC dismisses foreign reports as irrelevant to India
The petitioners also drew attention to a Wall Street Journal article that hinted at pilot error and cited an unnamed Indian government source. However, the bench made it clear that such foreign media reports would not affect India's judicial process. Justice Bagchi said, "We are not bothered by foreign reports. Your remedy should then be before a foreign court." The bench has listed the matter for further hearing on November 10, along with another related matter.