Ahmedabad plane crash: Pilot Sumeet Sabharwal’s father demands another probe, says son’s image tarnished

Pushkaraj Sabharwal, father of Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, one of the pilots of the ill-fated Air India 171 aircraft, has urged the central government to order a formal investigation after being disappointed with the preliminary findings of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) inquiry into the Ahmedabad plane crash.

In a letter addressed to the civil aviation secretary and the AAIB Director General, the 91-year-old Pushkaraj reportedly expressed anguish over selective leaks suggesting that his 56-year-old son, Sumeet, was under immense psychological stress and may have been contemplating suicide.

The letter, dated August 29, also mentioned, “These innuendos have very adversely affected my health and mental setup and the reputation of Captain Sumeet Sabharwal. They tarnish Captain Sabharwal's reputation, which is a fundamental right guaranteed to a citizen of India under Article 21 of the Constitution of India.”

As per reports, Pushkaraj has demanded that the government order a formal enquiry into the accident under Rule 12 of the Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules, 2017.

The tragedy, among the worst aviation disasters in India, claimed 260 lives, including 241 passengers, when Air India’s Boeing 787-8 operating flight AI171 to London Gatwick crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad on June 12.