The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted three weeks to the Centre to submit a status report on the investigation into the Ahmedabad air crash that killed 260 people, including victims of multiple nationalities. The bench, led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi, was hearing pleas for a court-monitored probe into the tragedy.

During the hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre and DGCA, stated that the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) was in the final stages of inquiry. Certain aircraft components had been sent abroad for specialized testing, and international protocols were being followed due to the involvement of foreign nationals.

The apex court directed the government to file the report in a sealed cover along with an affidavit outlining the procedural protocol followed so far. The bench also sought a progress report on the next date of hearing to ensure transparency and accountability in the investigation.

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Representing the Safety Matters Foundation, advocate Prashant Bhushan highlighted concerns raised by pilots regarding Boeing 787 aircraft safety, urging the grounding of such planes pending thorough examination. He argued that prior warnings had not been adequately addressed by the government or the AAIB.

Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, appearing for Captain Sumeet Sabharwal’s father, called for an independent inquiry, citing past international incidents where initial pilot blame was later found to be misplaced due to technical defects in aircraft, particularly Boeing models.

The bench cautioned against premature criticism of any airline or aircraft model, noting that the Dreamliner was once considered a highly reliable aircraft. Observing that the tragedy was “very unfortunate,” the court emphasized that all conclusions must await official findings before any public statements.

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