Letter Petition Filed In Supreme Court Seeking A Suo Moto Cognizance Of Ahmedabad Air India Flight Crash

Leading to the tragic crash of Air India Flight AI171 near Ahmedabad, a letter petition was submitted to the Chief Justice of India (CJI) B.R. Gavai. The letter petition seeks a suo moto cognizance from the Supreme Court of India into the matter in which not only the passengers of the flight but resident doctors from the BJMC Medical College in Ahmedabad also died. 

The petition has been filed by Advocate Satyam Singh, where judicial intervention is sought to ensure justice as well as a timely relief for the families of the victims, and policies regarding systemic reforms in the aviation safety as well as for protection of medical institutional.

Interim Compensation and Responsibility of the State

• The petitioner has demanded that the Court direct the Union Government to announce and disburse an interim compensation of ₹50 lakh to the family of each deceased. 
• The plea further emphasises that the compensation so provided must not be compared to a charity, rather as the constitutional duty of the State towards the  citizens who have lost their lives in a national tragedy.
• “The tragic loss of young medical students… represents not just individual tragedies but a collective loss to our healthcare system,” the petition pointed out.
• It was further demanded in the petition that a rehabilitation support should be provided further which includes employment for family members of the deceased victims.

A High-Level Expert Committee-

In order to ensure that the compensation so assessed is fair and just, a demand of an independent expert committee has been sought in the plea. As per the plea, the proposed committee shall include-

• Retired judges from Supreme Court or High Courts
• Experts with experience in aviation safety
• Actuaries
• Economists

The primary role of the committee shall be evaluation as well as recommendation of the final compensation to be paid to the families affected. The plea further demanded for directions to be given to the Air India to settle claims for compensation promptly, thereby sparing the aggrieved families from unnecessary legal battles.

Also, as several resident doctors loss their lives in the accident, the plea also demands that necessary guidelines must also be issued to protect the medical students and the institutions  in the country, by focusing on-

• Improvement in the safety for students and professionals during their travel
• To enhance the on-campus security in medical colleges including the hospitals
• To establish a comprehensive risk mitigation framework for public health workers

It is argued in the petition that the protection of the medical community is necessary for the nation's future health security.

Details of the Crash and Investigation Update

• Flight no. AI171, a Boeing Dreamliner which was owned by Air India, just after its departure from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad for London’s Gatwick Airport, crashed near Meghani Nagar in Ahmedabad. 
• Passengers in the flight included some young medical students who were returning from their vacation or study assignments.
• The black box of the aircraft has been recovered, and related investigations are still ongoing. 
• The Indian aviation authorities are also assisted by the experts from the United States and the United Kingdom in order to complete a comprehensive technical probe.

According to some experienced pilots, the potential causes of the crash could be-

• Failure of the Twin-engine 
• Bird strike
• Contaminated or blocked fuel supply
• Combination of some mechanical and environmental factors

The precise reasons for the crash shall be scrutinised during the investigation.

Conclusion

The petition though was not official in format, does reflect general public concern and grief about the incident. It highlights the need for judiciary to take swift action in the favour of the public interest—so as to ensure a fair compensation to the victims but also to introduce some long-term policy changes for safety in the aviation field and medical profession.

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