Supreme Court refuses to entertain PIL over IndiGo crisis, tells petitioner to approach Delhi HC

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has asked an advocate who filed public interest litigation (PIL) regarding the recent crisis involving a surge in flight delays and cancellations by Indigo Airlines to approach the Delhi High Court.

Observing that the Delhi High Court is already seized of the issue, a bench led by CJI Surya Kant requested the High Court to allow the PIL petitioner to join the proceedings related to the IndiGo crisis, pending before it.

“All the issues raised by the petitioner are pending consideration before the Delhi High Court. The petitioner has also expressed that he will join the proceedings pending before the High Court. We request Delhi High Court to allow the petitioner to intervene in the said proceedings and enable him to raise all the contentions as has been raised by him in the instant petition. It goes without saying that nothing precludes this person or any other party to approach this Court regarding any other issues”, the court noted.

However, the court emphasised that if the Delhi High Court does not address the petitioner’s grievances, then the advocate may approach the apex court. The court verbally said to the petitioner, “They (High Courts) are also Constitutional courts. If your grievance is not taken care of there, you’re welcome here”.

Earlier, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) sacked four Flight Operations Inspectors (FOIs) in connection with the recent IndiGo flight cancellation crisis. According to the notice issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, the four Flight Operation Inspectors dismissed are Rish Raj Chatterjee, Seema Jhamnani, Anil Kumar Pokhariyal, and Priyam Kaushik.

The notice read, “Consequent upon approval of the Competent Authority, the following Fols under various categories, on contract basis, in DGCA are hereby relieved from DGCA with immediate effect to join their respective parent organisations: Rish Raj Chatterjee, Consultant [Dy. CFOI(A)], Seema Jhamnani, SFOI(A), Anil Kumar Pokhariyal, Consultant[FOI(A)], and Priyam Kaushik, Consultant[FOI(A)]. (ANI)