The Tamil Nadu police have officially closed investigation into the Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter crash that killed the first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat and 12 other defence personnel near Coonoor on December 8, 2021.
The Coonoor police in the Nilgiris district had registered the case under Section 174 of CrPC. However, they could not continue the investigation due to the non-availability of crucial evidence like flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder from the chopper and also the weather clearance report.
The police had kept the investigation pending in anticipation of receiving evidence. However, they are now left with no other option but to drop the investigation and close the case with a message “further action dropped”.
The non-availability of the evidence from the IAF has raised many questions with regard to the transparency and accountability of the forces in handling crucial and sensitive cases.
Earlier, a tri-service board of inquiry constituted to probe the helicopter crash had said in its report submitted in January 2022 that the reason for the crash was “inclement weather”. It concluded that the unexpected change in the weather when the chopper was flying above the valley near Wellington in Ooty led to the crash.
The probe panel also said that the weather led to “spatial disorientation of the the pilot resulting in controlled flight into terrain”. The IAF had also ruled out any mechanical failure of the chopper.