India's Supreme Court exonerates pilot in fatal Air India crash

It was a relief-drenched moment when the Supreme Court of India told the father of the pilot-in-command of the Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner that crashed in June, killing 260, that it was not the pilot’s fault, reported Indian media.

The court also sent notices to the Centre, the civil aviation regulator (DGCA), and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), and explained that another similar petition had also been filed in court. Both will be addressed on November 10.

The declaration was a result of a plea filed by 91-year-old Pushkar Sabharwal after the deadly crash, calling for an independent probe into the incident.

A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi made the remarks. Law Beat.com quoted Justice Kant as saying: “This crash is extremely unfortunate, but don’t carry the burden that your son is being blamed. Nobody can blame him for anything.”

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which was flying from Ahmedabad to London, crashed into a college building shortly after takeoff.