Friday, Nov 7 | New Delhi: The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a petition filed by Pushkarraj Sabharwal, the father of Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, who piloted the ill-fated Air India flight AI171 that crashed in Ahmedabad on June 12. The plea seeks an independent investigation into the causes of the crash.
The bench issued a notice to the Centre and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), asking them to respond to the petition. The matter will be heard again on November 10.
During the hearing, the top court clarified that the preliminary probe report makes no insinuations against the pilot, assuring the petitioner that the responsibility for the accident was not attributed to his son. “Pilot is not to be blamed; you should not carry the burden on yourself,” the court told Pushkarraj, adding that if there were concerns over reports like the Wall Street Journal article, he could move a U.S. court against it.
The petition alleged that the ongoing probe focused disproportionately on pilot error, while failing to examine other possible technical or operational causes. It also sought a court-monitored investigation led by a retired Supreme Court judge to ensure transparency.
Earlier, an NGO had also approached the apex court demanding a similar independent probe, citing selective leaks that appeared to shift blame toward the pilot.
