Supreme Court Criticizes Leaks in June 12 Air India Crash Probe
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Supreme Court Judge Surya Kant and Justice N. Kotiswar Singh gave notices to the DGCA, AAIB, and the Centre on receiving a PIL from Safety Matters Foundation, an Aviation Safety NGO floated by Captain Amit Singh, and represented by Advocate Prashant Bhushan. The PIL alleges media leaks and a preliminary report have prejudged pilot culpability in the Air India AI-171 crash (June 12, 2025), thus barring scrutiny into technical anomalies and systemic failures. Petitioners said that there is a conflict of interest if DGCA officers are a part of the investigation panel since the DGCA is under regulatory scrutiny. The bench has set a two-week deadline for the authorities to respond, emphasizing that a fair, impartial, and thorough inquiry is necessary.
Case Details:
| Category | Details |
| Date of Order | September 22, 2025 |
| Supreme Court Bench | Justices Surya Kant and N. Kotiswar Singh |
| Petitioner | Safety Matters Foundation (Aviation Safety NGO) |
| Petitioner Leadership | Captain Amit Singh |
| Petitioner Representation | Advocate Prashant Bhushan |
| Respondents Notified | DGCA, AAIB, Government of India |
| Case Context | PIL concerning Air India AI-171 crash on June 12, 2025 |
| Key Issues Raised | – Media leaks & preliminary report prematurely blaming pilots- Technical anomalies & systemic failures overlooked- Conflict of interest: DGCA officers in investigation panel |
| Supreme Court Directions | – Authorities to respond within 2 weeks- Investigation must be fair, impartial, and thorough |
Key Aspects
- Leaks in Media: Preliminary findings pointing at pilot error were circulated widely.
- Court’s Concern: Judges noted that piecemeal disclosures harm the credibility of the investigation.
- Integrity of Probe: The Court emphasized that aviation accidents must be examined with utmost fairness and technical accuracy.
Legal Details
- A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) came to be filed, demanding that the matter come under a court-monitored probe. It was argued that the presence of Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) officials on the investigative panel would amount to a conflict of interest, since the DGCA is itself the regulator.
- The Supreme Court Bench issued notices to the Union of India, the DGCA, and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) and sought their stand on the plausibility and transparency of the investigation.
- The case, thus, draws attention to the significance of adhering to ICAO standards so as to ensure independence in air crash inquiries.
Conclusion
Following the Air India crash, the Supreme Court stepped in to make sure the investigation was fair. The court emphasized that a proper aviation safety investigation shouldn’t be influenced by rumors, guesswork, or conflicts of interest.
The core idea is that for people to trust the aviation system again, the investigation must be transparent, independent, and accountable.
A credible and fair investigation is not just about finding out what happened for the victims’ families; it’s also about making India’s aviation system stronger and safer for everyone.
Cause Title: Safety Matters Foundation V. Union of India
