'No One In India Believes It Was The Pilot’s Fault': SC To Father Of Air India Crash Victim

In an emotional courtroom moment, the Supreme Court of India assured the 91-year-old father of late Air India pilot Captain Sumeet Sabharwal that his son was not responsible for the horrific plane crash that shook the nation. The tragic incident, which occurred on June 12 in Ahmedabad, claimed 260 lives after the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner went down during approach.

Pushkar Raj Sabharwal, father of the deceased Pilot-in-Command, has petitioned the Court seeking a fair, transparent, and technically sound probe into the crash - one monitored by a retired Supreme Court judge. Acting on his plea, the Court has now issued notices to the Centre, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), and other relevant authorities.

A Father's Pain, A Court's Assurance

During the hearing, Justice Surya Kant directly addressed the elderly petitioner with empathy: "It's extremely unfortunate that this crash took place, but you should not carry this burden that your son is being blamed... Nobody can blame him." He added firmly, "No one in India believes it was the pilot's fault." Justice Joymalya Bagchi echoed this sentiment, pointing out that the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau's (AAIB) preliminary report did not attribute any fault to Captain Sabharwal.

Doubts Over Independence of Probe

Senior Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, appearing for the petitioner, raised strong concerns over the neutrality of the AAIB investigation. "I am the father of the Commander of the plane... I am 91 years old. This is a non-independent investigation. It should have been independent. It has taken four months," he argued, urging the Court to invoke Rule 12 of the Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules for a judicially monitored inquiry. He also highlighted persistent global safety lapses involving Boeing aircraft, suggesting that deeper systemic issues could be at play.

Court Snubs Foreign Media Speculation

The petitioner's team cited a Wall Street Journal article that implied pilot error as a possible cause. But the Supreme Court swiftly dismissed such reports. Justice Joymalya Bagchi remarked that "foreign media cannot influence judicial proceedings in India," while Justice Surya Kant went a step further, calling the reporting "nasty" and reaffirming, "No one in India believes it was the pilot's fault."

Push for an Expert-Led Investigation

Backed by the Federation of Indian Pilots, the petition demands that the AAIB's ongoing investigation be scrapped in favor of an expert-led panel chaired by a retired Supreme Court judge. The petitioners contend that the AAIB's preliminary findings hinting at pilot error overlook critical technical and systemic failures.

Leaked Report and Court's Earlier Rebuke

This is not the first time the Court has intervened in the case. In September, the bench had criticized the leak of portions of the AAIB's preliminary report, which fueled speculation blaming the pilot. The judges warned that premature disclosures risked distorting public perception before the investigation was complete.

Next Steps: All Eyes on November 10

The Supreme Court will take up the case again on November 10, when it will also hear a related matter. The Court is expected to decide whether the probe into the Ahmedabad crash should be placed under judicial supervision - a move that could redefine how India investigates aviation disasters.

As the nation awaits answers, Justice Kant's words offered a measure of solace to a grieving father: "No one in India believes it was the pilot's fault." For Pushkar Raj Sabharwal, that assurance from the country's highest court may finally lift a burden he's carried for months.