Supreme Court Questions Targeted Scrutiny of Air India

The Supreme Court declined to consider a plea for scrutinizing Air India's safety measures following a tragic accident. The petitioner, Narendera Kumar Goswami, sought a retired top court judge-led committee to audit Air India's protocols. The court advised submitting complaints through appropriate avenues.

The Supreme Court on Friday declined to consider a plea demanding the appointment of a retired top court judge to examine Air India's safety practices after a recent tragedy. The bench, comprising Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi, questioned the petitioner's focus solely on Air India, suggesting that grievances be addressed through suitable channels.

The petitioner, Narendera Kumar Goswami, claimed involvement in an incident with Air India and had filed a Public Interest Litigation in July, requesting an independent examination of Air India's safety protocols. He also sought a comprehensive audit conducted by an international safety agency and the implementation of a centralized safety incident reporting system by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.

Furthermore, the PIL demanded compensation for families of AI-171 crash victims, aligned with international conventions. The court highlighted the catastrophic incident involving a Boeing Dreamliner 787-8, which crashed shortly after departing Ahmedabad, urging collective consideration across airlines rather than singling out Air India.

(With inputs from agencies.)