Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Nov 13: The Supreme Court on Thursday clarified that the ongoing inquiry into the Air India flight crash in Ahmedabad on June 12, which claimed over 260 lives, is aimed at ascertaining the causes of the accident rather than assigning blame.

A Bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi was hearing petitions filed by the family of late Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, the flight’s Pilot-in-Command, and by the aviation safety NGO Safety Matters Foundation, which alleged that the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) probe had procedural lapses and violated the right to life and fair investigation under Article 21 of the Constitution.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta emphasized that no blame has been attributed to anyone, citing international protocols under the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and noting that foreign representatives are involved due to the presence of international victims.

The Bench highlighted that the AAIB’s role is investigative, not punitive, stating that it is meant to clarify causes and issue recommendations to prevent future accidents. A separate government investigation may address questions of responsibility if needed.

Representing Captain Sabharwal’s father, senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan argued for an “independent and credible” probe, while advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for Safety Matters Foundation, contended that a major accident causing significant loss of life warrants a court of enquiry rather than a standard AAIB investigation.

The court also reiterated its concerns over selective leaks of preliminary AAIB findings, which had reportedly fueled public narratives blaming the pilot. In a previous hearing, the Supreme Court had rejected foreign media claims attributing fault to the pilot, calling them “nasty reporting” and noting that no one in India believes the pilot was at fault.