Supreme Court Calls for Transparent Probe into Air India Crash

The Indian government assures the Supreme Court that the Air India crash investigation adheres to international standards. The court aims for a transparent probe amidst concerns of unfair blame on the pilot and pushes for an independent committee's oversight.

In a recent development, the Indian government has assured the Supreme Court that the probe into the Air India crash in Ahmedabad aligns with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards, which dictate the framework for aviation accident investigations. The Solicitor General of India, Tushar Mehta, represented the Centre in this matter.

The Supreme Court, after hearing the Centre's detailed submissions, directed the petitioners—the father of the deceased Captain Sumit Sabharwal and the NGO Safety Matters Foundation— to file their counter-affidavits. Earlier, the court labelled the June crash that tragically claimed 260 lives as "unfortunate," emphasizing that the pilot bore no blame for the incident.

A bench, including Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi, emphasized the need for a transparent inquiry. They rejected any insinuations against the pilot in the preliminary report. Pushkaraj Sabharwal, the captain's 91-year-old father, and the Federation of Indian Pilots seek a judicially monitored committee for a fair investigation, citing flaws in the current probe.

(With inputs from agencies.)