Judge Loya’s Death: SC Decides To Hear Petitions Seeking Probe, Transfers To Itself PILs In Bombay HC

A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra has decided to hear the petition seeking an investigation into the sudden death of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) special judge Brijgopal Harkishan Loya in 2014, the Times Of India has reported.

The bench has also ordered the transfer of two petitions related to the case, which were pending in the Bombay high court, to itself. The apex court has also ordered other High Courts not to entertain petitions related to the case.

The Bombay Lawyers' Association had on 8 January filed a petition seeking a probe into the judge's death. Another petition in the Bombay high court, related to this case, was filed by one Suryakant Lodge.

The 48-year-old judge had died of a cardiac arrest in Nagpur on 1 December 2014. He was presiding over the Sohrabuddin fake encounter case in which Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah was an accused.

The Supreme Court, hearing a petition filed by journalist Banduraj Sambhaji Lone and Congress leader Tehseen Poonawalla, said the issues raised regarding the judge’s death are serious and "we must look into all documents with utmost seriousness."

While some members of Loya’s family had reportedly raised questions over the circumstances surrounding his death, his son recently said in a press conference that he did not have any doubts.

“I had an emotional turmoil, hence I had suspicions about his death. But now we don’t have any doubts about the way he died,” he had told reporters.

The apex court has scheduled the matter for hearing on 2 February.