Apex Court Rules Out Fresh Probe In Justice Loya’s Case

The Supreme Court of India today (19 April) dismissed several pleas that sought an independent probe into the death of Central Bureau of Intelligence (CBI) judge B H Loya in 2014. Justice Loya was hearing the high profile Sohrabuddin Sheikh encounter case involving Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah when he died of a cardiac arrest in Nagpur. The court also said that the submissions of the petitioners prima facie would amount to criminal contempt of court but it wouldn’t initiate proceedings for the same.

The bench comprising of Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud said that attempts were being made to scandalise the judiciary by levelling serious allegations against the Bombay High Court. Dismissing the plea, said that there was no reason to doubt the statements of four judges, and that the judges death was due to natural causes.

The court also made the observation that these petitions were a frontal attack on the independence of the judiciary and that the frivolous and motivated litigation was being filed to settle a political score. Justice Chandrachud said that the petitioners initially tried to create a an “aura of good faith” that fell apart with subsequent petitions.