SC dismisses pleas seeking independent probe into judge B H Loya's death

Representation pic

The Supreme Court yesterday dismissed pleas seeking an independent probe into the death of special CBI judge B H Loya, ruling that the judge died of natural causes and the petitions were a serious attempt to scandalise and obstruct the course of justice.

The apex court also held that all litigations concerning circumstances of death of judge Loya are concluded with this judgement. It dubbed the PILs into the death of judge Loya who was hearing the high-profile Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case, as frivolous and motivated litigations to settle political scores and rivalry were behind the "facade of the PIL" to malign the dignity of judicial officers and Bombay High Court judges.

Justice BH Loya

Loya had died of cardiac arrest in Nagpur on December 1, 2014 when he had gone to attend the wedding of a colleague's daughter. SC said the judicial process will be reduced to a "charade" if the courts are burdened with such cases with extraneous reasons.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud said there was no reason to doubt the statements of four judges on the circumstances leading to Loya's death and the documents placed on record and their scrutiny established that the death was due to natural cause.

'Classic case of contempt'

Mukul Rohatgi, former attorney general
'The very fact that the judge died in the company of his colleagues shows there is nothing wrong. The manner in which these cases were argued is a classic case of contempt... They want to attack people collaterally and they used the judge for this purpose'

Rajnath Singh, Home Minister
'An attempt to malign senior leaders of the party has failed, it is clear that the judiciary cannot be made a field for political battles'

Yogi Adityanath, UP CM
'The verdict has exposed the Congress once again. Rahul Gandhi should apologise to the people of the country. They have tried to create such an environment that develops negative emotions in the people for the government'

Randeep Singh Surjewala, Congress spokesperson
'It is a sad letter day in India's history. Suspicious circumstances in which Loya died, was a matter of deep concern for those who have faith in the judiciary'

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