Supreme Court Demands Fair Probe on Air India Crash Report

The Supreme Court has criticized the preliminary AAIB report on the Air India crash for its 'irresponsible' blame on pilots. The court calls for an independent investigation, highlighting potential conflicts of interest within the probe panel and issues of confidentiality in the report's findings.

The Supreme Court leveled criticism at the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) over its preliminary findings on the June 12 Air India crash, labeling suggestions of pilot fault as 'irresponsible.'

In response, notices have been issued to the Centre and the Director General of Civil Aviation, urging an independent investigation to avoid conflicts of interest as three members of the panel belong to the aviation regulator.

The petition, led by Captain Amit Singh's NGO, challenges the official report's integrity, citing withheld data that are crucial for an unbiased inquiry into the tragedy that claimed 265 lives.

(With inputs from agencies.)