Supreme Court assures it will soon hear plea for Independent Inquiry into Air India Crash

The Supreme Court today said that it would give a short date for hearing the seeking an independent, court-monitored investigation into the Air India plane crash at Ahmedabad on June 12, which claimed 260 lives.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan informed a CJI Surya Kant led bench today that the Centre and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) had not filed their responses.

Hearing this, CJI Kant said, "We will hear it after the SIR matter...will give a short date".

Bhushan had earlier argued that under the government’s own rules, a “court of inquiry” is mandatory in such serious air accidents, not merely an investigation by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB). He contended that the AAIB’s preliminary report, reported as suggesting pilot error, was flawed and lacked transparency. Bhushan also flagged safety concerns regarding Boeing 787 aircraft, stating that “several system failures” had occurred after the crash and that the pilots’ association had called for their grounding. Justice Kant cautioned against “pre-judging” the issue, remarking, “It should not look like a fight between airlines.”

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta had opposed the plea, citing the international regime under the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). He had said, “There’s an established process where even foreign nations whose citizens were victims send representatives for the investigation. The Ministry of Civil Aviation has already clarified that no blame has been attributed to anyone.”

Notably, on November 7, the Court had issued notice on a petition filed by 91-year-old retired Air Force officer and father of deceased Air India pilot Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, seeking an independent judicial probe into the Ahmedabad Plane Crash that claimed 260 lives in June this year. Justice Surya Kant had expressed sympathy, remarking, “This crash is extremely unfortunate, but don’t carry the burden that your son is being blamed. Nobody can blame him for anything.” Justice Bagchi added, “There’s no insinuation against the pilot in the preliminary report.”

The Supreme Court had issued notice on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by the Safety Matters Foundation, seeking an independent and court-monitored investigation into the crash of Air India Flight AI171 that killed 260 people on June 12, 2025. The Bench had heard arguments raising concerns over the impartiality and transparency of the probe conducted by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB).

The petition, filed by Safety Matters Foundation, a non-governmental organization dedicated to promoting aviation safety, raises grave concerns over the selective and incomplete disclosures made by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) in its preliminary report. The ill-fated Dreamliner, operating as Air India Flight AI171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, crashed shortly after takeoff on June 12, 2025, killing 229 passengers, 12 crew members, and 19 individuals on the ground. The aircraft, manufactured in 2013 and powered by GEnx-1B70 engines, had a valid Airworthiness Review Certificate at the time of the accident.

While the AAIB released its preliminary report on July 12, 2025, attributing the crash to the sudden transition of both fuel cutoff switches from RUN to CUTOFF, the petitioner claims the report is riddled with gaps. Sensitive technical information had already appeared in the Wall Street Journal before the report’s release, raising fears of selective leaks and compromised integrity.

The petitioner further alleges a conflict of interest in the investigating team, as three of the five members are serving officers of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). Since the DGCA is directly responsible for certifying the aircraft and monitoring Air India’s operations, its officials’ presence compromises the independence of the inquiry. The petition stresses that under Annex 13 of the Chicago Convention, to which India is a signatory, investigations must be independent, impartial, and aimed solely at preventing future accidents; not at apportioning blame. By failing to meet these standards, India risks undermining global trust in its aviation safety regime.

Case Title: Safety Matters Foundation v. Union of India

Mentioning Date: January 28, 2026

Bench: CJI Surya Kant and Justice Bagchi