NEW DELHI (Oct 16) – The father of late Captain Sumeet Sabharwal and the Federation of Indian Pilots have approached the Supreme Court seeking a court-monitored judicial inquiry into the June 12 crash of Air India flight AI171 in Ahmedabad, which killed 260 people.
The petition, filed by Pushkaraj Sabharwal, 91, father of the deceased pilot, requests the constitution of an independent inquiry panel led by a retired Supreme Court judge to ensure a “fair, transparent, and technically robust” probe into the tragedy.
On September 22, the apex court had taken note of the preliminary report by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), which suggested possible lapses by the flight crew, and issued notices to the Centre and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on a related plea for an impartial investigation.
Sabharwal and the Federation argue that an inquiry solely under the DGCA or the Ministry of Civil Aviation may not inspire public confidence, given that the agencies themselves are under scrutiny for alleged oversight failures.
The petition further urges the top court to direct preservation of all flight data, cockpit voice recordings, and maintenance records to prevent evidence tampering and to ensure accountability at every level.
The Air India Boeing Dreamliner had crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport, marking one of India’s worst aviation disasters in recent years.