Social media posts have claimed that Vishwas Kumar Ramesh, the only survivor of the Air India Flight AI-171 crash in Ahmedabad, was arrested for fabricating his presence on the flight. According to the viral video, he falsely claimed to be on board to gain attention. However, we found that this claim is false.
Social Media Posts
A viral video shared across Facebook, alleged that Vishwas Kumar Ramesh, who claimed to be the sole survivor of the Ahmedabad plane crash, had been arrested. The video and related posts claimed he was never on the flight and had fabricated his story.
Fact Check
According to CNN and Indian Express reports, Vishwas Kumar Ramesh was a passenger on AI-171 and the only survivor of the crash. Ramesh, who was sitting in seat 11A next to an emergency exit, escaped with minor injuries. He was taken to Ahmedabad Civil Hospital for treatment. After being discharged, he attended the funeral of his brother Ajay, who had been on the same flight and did not survive.
Moreover, A video published by Press Trust of India (PTI) on June 13, 2025, shows Prime Minister Narendra Modi meeting with Vishwas Ramesh at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, describing him as “the lone survivor of the AI-171 crash.”
Press Trust of India also reported on June 18 that Ramesh had been discharged and traveled to Diu to attend his brother’s cremation, see the report here.
Moreover, there are no reports or official records from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) or Ahmedabad police indicating that Ramesh was arrested or under investigation. No credible outlet has reported any such legal action.
One key piece of evidence is Ramesh’s boarding pass from Air India Flight AI-171, which he kept after surviving the crash. While in the hospital, he showed this boarding pass to media outlets, which confirmed his seat number (11A) and flight details. The Hindustan Times reported on this, including Ramesh’s account of the crash, and Ahmedabad’s police chief G.S. Malik verified that the seat assignment matched official flight records.
Source: Hindustan Times
Apart from the viral video claiming Ramesh faked his survival story, actor Suchitra Krishnamoorthi shared a social media post questioning Vishwas Kumar Ramesh’s account. She later removed the post and issued a correction after official confirmation from Ahmedabad Civil Hospital that Ramesh was indeed a passenger and survivor. He was discharged on June 17 to attend his brother Ajay’s last rites. (Source: India Today)
Conclusion
The claim that Vishwas Kumar Ramesh was arrested for lying about being on board Air India Flight AI-171 is false. All credible evidence, including official records, media coverage, and eyewitness accounts, confirm that Ramesh was a genuine passenger on the flight and the only survivor of the tragedy. He was hospitalized, later discharged, and attended his brother’s funeral.
Title:Was the Sole Survivor of the Air India Crash Arrested for Lying About Being on the Flight?
Written By: Pranpreeya PResult: False
