Former Chief Minister and Leader of the Opposition Babulal Marandi has called for a thorough investigation into the state’s air ambulance service following a fatal crash in Chatra district that killed all seven people on board. The medical evacuation flight had taken off from Ranchi en route to Delhi on Monday evening when the crash occurred, raising serious concerns over safety and operational practices.

Marandi alleged that the air ambulance scheme, promoted as a flagship initiative of Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s government, is now under a cloud due to the incident. He termed the chartered air ambulance service “a major scam” and demanded that the government lodge an FIR against the operating company, while calling for a comprehensive and impartial probe.

Highlighting irregularities, Marandi questioned the service provider’s handling of a patient with 65 percent burn injuries. He claimed the company initially declined to transport the patient, citing its policy of providing subsidies only for cases with up to 30 percent burns. The patient was later flown to Delhi after the fare was revised from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 8 lakh. “If air travel is unsafe for patients with more than 30 per cent burns, how was permission granted to transport the same patient at a higher cost?” Marandi asked, seeking clarity on whether the subsidy cap was based on expert medical advice and calling for a transparent review of fares charged to beneficiaries.

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He further urged the government to blacklist the service provider if wrongdoing is established and examine whether poor patients are being denied subsidised transport while wealthier individuals are charged higher rates. Marandi also criticised the scheme’s limited reach, noting that since its launch on April 28, 2023, the “Hawa Hawai” air ambulance service had reportedly benefited barely a dozen individuals, including four ministers, despite a Rs 10 crore budget allocation this year.

Details of the crashed aircraft indicate that it was 39 years old and had received a fitness certificate valid until January 2027. However, it was not equipped with cockpit voice recorders or flight data recorders, as such equipment is not mandatory for aircraft below 5,700 kg maximum take-off weight.

The Jharkhand government has not yet issued a detailed response to the allegations, but the crash and ensuing political scrutiny have intensified calls for stricter oversight, safety audits, and greater transparency in the state-run air ambulance service.

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