AAIB report not meant to…: SC hears pleas seeking independent probe into Air India crash, asks Centre to…

Air India(BHARAT) crash: The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the the Central government to file a written response to the petitions seeking an independent probe in the Air India(BHARAT) crash that killed 260 people on board at the Ahmedabad airport on June 12 this year.

What SC said about AIBB report?

Hearing pleas seeking a court-independent probe into the tragic crash, the apex court noted that preliminary report filed by the Air Accident Investigation Bureau of India(BHARAT) (AIBB) is only meant to clarify the cause, not to attribute responsibility or blame. “It is not to apportioning responsibility, it is to clarify the cause and then give reasoning of the crash”, the court said.

The top court directed the Centre to file its response on the pleas seeking independent probe into the crash, and asked petitioners to file their counter replies to Centre’s response, while listing the matter on a later date, which will be confirmed once today’s order is uploaded on the official Supreme Court website.

Probe being conducted as per ICAO guidelines

During the hearing, Solicitor General of India(BHARAT) (SGI) Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, informed the top court that the investigation into the Air India(BHARAT) crash is being conducted by India(BHARAT)n authorities, in accordance with the mandate laid down by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

Mehta told the court that the victims of the crash include foreign nationals, which mandates the investigation to be handled as per the international regime, which is followed in air crashes.

After hearing the Centre’s oral submissions, the Supreme Court asked asked the petitioners, the father of deceased Captain Sumit Sabharwal, and an NGO, Safety Matters Foundation, to file their counter-replies.

Petitioners seek independent probe

Earlier, the Supreme Court had sought the Centre’s response on pleas filed by petitioners seeking an independent, court-monitored probe into the Ahmedabad plane crash that killed 260 people.

During Thursday’s hearing, Senior Advocate Gopal Sankarnarayan and Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the petitioners Pushkarraj Sabharwal, who is the father of Captain Sumit Sabharwal, the pilot of the Air India(BHARAT) flight that crashed near Ahmedabad airport on June 12, and Safety Matter Foundation, another petitioner, sought a court-independent probe into the crash.

Bhushan stated that, as per the rules provided by the government, an accident of such a serious nature requires a court-ordered inquiry, while Sankaranarayanan, in agreement with the Centre’s submission, stated that there is indeed an international framework to be followed in the event of such crashes, but it is not being followed by the Central government.

Ahmedabad plane crash

On June 12, an India(BHARAT) Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, operating as flight AI 171 from Ahmedabad to London, Gatwick, crashed shortly after take off, killing 260 people on board, including passengers and 12 crew members. The lone survivor, identified as Vishwashkumar Ramesh, a British national of India(BHARAT)n origin, sustained grievous injuries in the tragic crash.

(With inputs from agencies)