MiG crash: Delhi Police think they have a case

new delhi: the indian air force (iaf) is puzzled over the registration of a criminal case by the police in connection with saturday's mig-21 crash. and, if top iaf officials are to be believed, this is perhaps the first time that any state police force has registered a case involving an iaf plane crash. a case of causing death due to negligence was registered at the delhi airport police station late on saturday night.local police officers said the case, fir number 308, has been registered on the statement of a sub-inspector who saw the plane ``burst into flames''. the fir, however, does not name anybody as accused. senior iaf officers describe the filing of the fir as a ``meaningless exercise'', since all its personnel except those accused of rape, arson and loot are covered under the air force act. ``since the air force is conducting a court of inquiry, delhi police is not legally competent to register a case. we will not take cognisance of the case as there is no clause under the air force act which says police can initiate such action,'' a top iaf officer said. according to retired air marshal denzil keelor, all operational sorties, like the one that crashed on saturday, are meant for internal security and covered by the act. thus, local police have no right to intervene in such matters. ``now it is for the air force to take necessary action. the court of inquiry will see what exactly caused the crash,'' said keelor. he said iaf has its own legal branch which initiates proceedings in such cases. ``the air force is much more strict than the police,'' keelor added. the air force investigations into an air crash are required to be completed within three months, though officials said the present inquiry will be over in about a month's time. another iaf officer pointed to the fact that even in the recent alliance air crash case in patna, the police rushed to file a case against the pilots. the fir was subsequently cancelled. delhi police officials, however, said prima facie a case of causing death due to negligence was made out. but they said they would not interfere with iaf's court of inquiry. ``we will only act on the findings of the inquiry,'' he said. iaf officers say the police were barking up the wrong tree. they cannot take action even after the court of inquiry completes its report. ``even if civilians had died in this crash, no criminal proceedings could be initiated against the iaf. in such a case, the iaf is liable to only pay a compensation,'' an iaf officer said.