No SIT probe into Judge Loya death case as SC dismisses review plea

The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a plea seeking review of its April 19 verdict that had held that Special CBI judge B H Loya had died of "natural causes" on December 1, 2014, and had rejected PILs seeking an SIT probe into the death, questioning their motive.  

A Bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud did not find any merit in the review petition filed by Bombay Lawyers Association, one of the petitioners in the case.

"We have carefully gone through the review petition and the connected papers, but we see no reason to interfere with the order impugned. The review petition is, accordingly, dismissed," the Bench said.

The apex court had rejected the PILs seeking a probe into the death of Loya, ruling that he had died of "natural causes", and held that the petitions were moved by political rivals to settle scores, which was a serious attempt to scandalise the judiciary and obstruct the course of justice through a "frontal attack" on its independence.

Loya case: 'Assault on judiciary' makes SC see red; top 10 developments

The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that the death of special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) judge Brijgopal Harkishan Loya, who was conducting a trial in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case -- Amit Shah, now the president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), was an accused -- does not merit an independent probe. The apex court dismissed petitions seeking a special investigation team (SIT) probe into judge Loya's demise and held that he died of "natural causes". Holding that there was absolutely no merit in the petitions, the court also rebuked the petitioners, saying that it became clear from their PILs that there was "a real attempt and frontal attack" on the judiciary's independence.

A Bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and judges A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud delivered the 114-page judgment. In all, there were five petitions, including those filed by Congress leader Tehseen Poonawala and Maharashtra-based journalist B S Lone, seeking an independent probe into judge Loya's death.