The Supreme Court on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, agreed to give a quick hearing to petitions seeking an independent and judicially monitored probe into the Air India Flight 171 crash. The crash happened on June 12 last year at Ahmedabad Airport, killing 12 crew members and 229 passengers. The case was heard by a bench led by Chief Justice Surya. Petitions were filed by Pushkar Raj Sabharwal, 91, father of one pilot, Commander Sumeet Sabharwal; the Federation of Indian Pilots; and the NGO Safety Matters Foundation. Advocate Prashant Bhushan, representing the NGO, said the bench might not hear the case on January 29 due to other scheduled cases. He stated, "The pilots are saying the 787s are totally unsafe. That there is an electronic problem. A Court of Inquiry has to be appointed." The petitioners said they want to find out the cause of the accident, not to blame anyone. The Supreme Court had earlier clarified that the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) inquiry aims to find facts, not assign blame. Mr. Sabharwal approached the court after media reported a brief conversation between the pilots from the flight's black box. One pilot asked if the fuel switch was off; the other said he had not switched it off. The crash was linked to the sudden fuel supply cut-off to both engines. The Union government, through Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, said the investigation follows international rules by the International Civil Aviation Organisation and Indian laws under Section 4C of the Aircraft Act, 1934. He added that foreign nationals died in the crash, making it important to stick to international standards. The Supreme Court's decision opens the door for a closer review of the crash that shocked the nation last year.