The court, rejected the plea for CVC probe, expecting that the PAC would investigate the matter "from from all angles" and expeditiously.
"A responsible committee like PAC is looking into the matter and we are not giving any direction at this stage but expect the PAC to look into the matter from all angles...," said the bench of Acting Chief Justice A K Sikri and Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw.
The bench gave its order, accepting the Centre's argument that PAC would submit a report soon after examining the matter on the plea, filed in 2010 for probe into the purchase deal.
"We hope and expect that having regard to the importance and sensitivity of the matter, the PAC shall try to complete its task with alacrity and should submit its report at the earliest," the bench said.
The bench asked PAC to look into the aspects as to whether it was commercially viable decision to order purchase of so many aircrafts and then lease a large number of them and if a probe by Special Investigation Team (SIT) or CBI can be initiated if any case of "imprudence or gross negligence" is made out.
It also asked PAC to examine if the loss of Air India's market share due to its decision to give up its profit making routes to the private airlines was deliberate and if the senior officers of civil aviation ministry and top management of National Aviation Company of India Ltd (NACIL) had any role in it. (MORE)