Supreme Court Calls for Counter-Replies in Air India Crash Probe

The Supreme Court has requested counter-replies from petitioners regarding the government's investigation into the Air India Ahmedabad crash, which killed 260 people, including foreigners. The Centre's adherence to international aviation protocols is under scrutiny, with demands for an independent court-monitored probe.

The Central government has informed the Supreme Court that the probe into the Air India Ahmedabad crash is being conducted by Indian authorities according to International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards. The crash involved foreign nationals, necessitating international compliance, argued Solicitor General Tushar Mehta.

The request was made as the Supreme Court evaluated submissions from the victim's father, petitioners, and the NGO Safety Matters Foundation, during a hearing concerning demands for an independent, court-monitored investigation. Previously, the court sought the Centre's feedback on pleas for such an inquiry after 260 individuals lost their lives in the tragedy.

Senior Advocates Gopal Sankaranarayan and Prashant Bhushan argued that while there is an international framework for handling such incidents, they accuse the government of non-compliance. The court clarified that the Air Accident Investigation Bureau of India's report is focused on cause determination, not attributing blame, and called for written responses from both the Centre and petitioners.

(With inputs from agencies.)