Supreme Court Slams Media Narrative on Air India Crash Report

The Supreme Court criticized the selective publication of a preliminary report on the Air India crash that blamed pilot error, urging confidentiality until a final report is complete. It questioned the probe's independence due to potential conflicts of interest and stressed the need for a fair inquiry.

The Supreme Court has called out the 'unfortunate and irresponsible' manner in which a preliminary report on the Air India crash was selectively published by some media outlets. The report had pointed towards lapses by the pilots, leading to a media narrative that the court criticized.

Issuing notices to the Centre and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, a bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh stressed the need for an independent and swift investigation into the crash. They highlighted that confidentiality is crucial until the final report is ready to ensure privacy and dignity for victims' families.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan, representing the NGO 'Safety Matters Foundation,' underscored that the piecemeal release of information was potentially misleading, emphasizing the importance of gathering a complete picture before making judgments. The plea also pointed to potential conflicts of interest in the probe committee's composition.

(With inputs from agencies.)