India, Sept. 24 -- The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has asked the civil aviation ministry to halt the ongoing investigation into the Air India Flight AI 171 crash by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) and instead set up a judicial inquiry to probe the incident, citing bias, unlawful disclosures, and a loss of public confidence in the current process.

The letter said there had been "grave and alarming developments that have compromised the integrity, impartiality, and legality of the ongoing investigation" and pointed to an unsolicited visit by AAIB officials to the residence of 91-year-old Pushkar Raj Sabharwal, father of Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, one of the two pilots of Air India Flight AI 171 that crashed soon afte...