Father Of Late Air India Pilot Seeks Supreme Court Inquiry Into AI-171 Crash

The father of the late Air India pilot, Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, has approached the Supreme Court, requesting a judicially monitored investigation into the Air India Flight AI-171 crash, which occurred on June 12, 2025, near Ahmedabad, claiming 260 lives. The petition, filed by Pushkaraj Sabharwal in collaboration with the Federation of Indian Pilots, challenges the credibility and impartiality of the ongoing probe conducted by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), alleging it to be biased and flawed.

The plea seeks the formation of a Court-Monitored Committee or Court of Inquiry, headed by a retired Supreme Court judge and including aviation and technical experts, to ensure a comprehensive, transparent, and unbiased investigation. It also calls for the closure of all previous AAIB-led investigations and the transfer of all evidence, including flight data, to the independent judicial panel. According to the petition, the AAIB's preliminary report dated July 12, 2025, which attributed the crash to "pilot error" due to the movement of fuel cutoff switches, was "perverse," as it largely overlooked potential systemic failures and technical malfunctions that may have contributed to the disaster.

The petition raises concerns over conflicts of interest, noting that three of the five members of the AAIB investigating team are serving Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) officials, whose work could be under scrutiny in the same investigation. It argues that placing blame on pilots, who "cannot defend themselves," compromises factual discovery, jeopardizes flight safety, and violates Article 21 of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to life.

Previously, a Public Interest Litigation filed by the Safety Matters Foundation, represented by advocate Prashant Bhushan, had raised similar issues before the Supreme Court. The Bench, led by Justice Surya Kant, noted that prematurely attributing blame to pilots was "irresponsible" and could mislead the public before conclusive findings are reached.

The petition by Captain Sabharwal's father highlights growing public and professional concern over aviation accident investigations in India and seeks judicial oversight to ensure accountability, transparency, and justice for the victims of one of the most catastrophic air disasters in recent history.