Supreme Court tells grieving father ‘the pilot is not to blame’

The Supreme Court on November 7 delivered a powerful message of solace to the family of Captain Sumeet Sabharwal — the Pilot-in-command of the Air India Dreamliner that crashed in Ahmedabad in June — making it unequivocally clear that no blame rests on him for the tragedy that claimed 260 lives.

A Bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi, hearing a petition filed by the pilot’s 91-year-old father, Pushkar Sabharwal, said the nation does not believe Captain Sabharwal was at fault. The petition seeks an independent, technically robust investigation into the crash, monitored by a retired Supreme Court judge.

‘You should not carry this burden’

Offering compassion and clarity, the Bench told the elderly petitioner that he must not suffer under the weight of suspicion that his son bore responsibility.

“It is extremely unfortunate that this crash took place, but you should not carry this burden that your son is being blamed. Nobody can blame him for anything,” Justice Surya Kant said.

Justice Bagchi underscored that the existing investigation report only recorded cockpit communication and did not attribute fault: “There is no insinuation against the pilot so far.”

Plea demands full, independent inquiry

Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, appearing for the petitioner, argued that authorities had conducted only a preliminary inquiry under Rule 9 of the Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules. A comprehensive probe under Rule 11, he said, was necessary.

He also cited a Wall Street Journal report that hinted at pilot error based on unnamed Indian sources — a suggestion the Bench dismissed as misplaced in a constitutional writ. “Then your suit should have been against the Wall Street Journal,” Justice Bagchi remarked, adding that press insinuations must be addressed through the appropriate forum.

Centre, dgca asked to respond

Issuing notices to the Union government, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and other authorities, the Supreme Court sought their replies on the demand for a fresh probe.

Reiterating the court’s stance, Justice Surya Kant told the petitioner: “Whatever may be the cause of the tragedy, the pilot is not the cause.”

The matter is scheduled for further hearing on November 10.