PIL in SC for enhanced transparency in Air India crash probe

New Delhi, Sep 19 (IANS) A public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed before the Supreme Court seeking greater transparency and independent oversight by the apex court into the probe of the June 12 Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, which claimed over 260 lives.

The petition, filed by the NGO Safety Matters Foundation, has claimed that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) are conducting a “selective and incomplete disclosure of critical information” that prematurely shifts the blame onto pilots while ignoring systemic faults.

“The Respondents’ (authorities) selective and incomplete disclosure of critical information, coupled with the premature attribution of pilot error while overlooking systemic faults, has resulted in a continuing violation of Article 21 and Article 14 of the Constitution of India,” stated the petition filed through advocate Pranav Sachdeva.

The PIL pointed out that critical technical issues, such as the malfunctioning of the fuel control switch locking mechanism and electrical anomalies, were overlooked in the preliminary report. “By prematurely attributing blame to human error and failing to probe the documented mechanical vulnerabilities, the Respondent (authorities) has compromised the fairness, thoroughness, and credibility of the investigation,” it said.

The plea further alleged that the government’s own regulatory body was investigating itself, leading to a conflict of interest. “The DGCA, being the regulatory authority responsible for certifying the aircraft, overseeing its airworthiness, and monitoring operator compliance, is itself subject to scrutiny in this case. By allowing its own officers to dominate the investigation, a direct conflict of interest arises, since the inquiry would inevitably require examination of whether the DGCA discharged its oversight duties diligently,” the petition read.

It also highlighted that the testimony of the sole survivor, businessman Vishwashkumar Ramesh, who reported electrical anomalies inside the cabin moments before the crash, was suppressed in the official account.

Stressing that aviation safety concerns every passenger in India, the PIL said, “Each passenger who boards an aircraft does so with the legitimate expectation that the State has discharged its duty to ensure that the skies are safe, and that if a tragedy does occur, it will be investigated with transparency, independence, and integrity”.

The plea has prayed for public disclosure of the complete Digital Flight Data Recorder (DFDR) output, full Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) transcripts, and appointment of independent investigators under the supervision of the Supreme Court to ensure transparency.

–IANS

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