Former IAF Officer Claims Compensation for MiG-21 Crash

The former Indian Air Force officer, Sanjeet Singh Kaila has filed a petition at Delhi high court, seeking justice over MiG-21 crash incidents citing "violation of his fundamental right to life, especially the right to work in a safe environment" under Article 21 of the Constitution.

Kaila was a victim of an air crash, which left him unfit for flying after a regular flight exercise back in 2005 went awry.

The court on Tuesday directed the Centre to provide a list of MiG-21 crashes that have taken place till date and posted the matter for October 10, 2013.

In his plea, Kaila said he was posted at Air Force Station Nal in Rajasthan as a Squadron Leader in 2005. On January 4 that year, he embarked on a regular flight exercise along with three other pilots. "Immediately after take-off, the petitioner experienced a drift to the left side of the aircraft. Simultaneously, the petitioner was informed by the other pilot flying the second aircraft, of a fire at the rear end of his aircraft. Assessing the emergency, the petitioner promptly carried out all the essential directives and got the tyres of the aircraft down for a landing," the petition said.

"The petitioner performed all the aforementioned actions despite the rear of the aircraft being engulfed in thick fire. Despite a near-complete engine/control failure and at grave risk to his own life, the petitioner continued to stay put in an almost uncontrollable aircraft so as to steer it away to safety from a nearby village... To save human life, the petitioner ejected only seconds before the crash of the aircraft."

Kaila said following the incident, he was injured and later forced to discontinue flying after a comprehensive medical examination showed he was suffering from cervicalgia and disc bulges of vertebrae (cervical spine).

The petition further alleged that a reply to his RTI application revealed that the incident was caused due to a manufacturing defect and poor workmanship at HAL's facility. Kaila claimed that despite sending a representation to the government on December 25, 2012, seeking justice by compensating him for the loss suffered by as a result of the air crash, no response was given by the government.

The matter was filed before the court in May 2013. On May 22, a bench of justices Geeta Mittal and Deepa Sharma had issued notice to the government and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), respondents in the petition, seeking their response. On Tuesday, while HAL appeared through its counsel, no reply was filed by the Centre.