Supreme Court refuses to review its rejection of Loya probe

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to review its order dismissing the plea for an independent/CBI probe into the death of CBI special judge B.H. Loya in mysterious circumstances.

A three-judge bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A.M. Kanwilkar and D.Y. Chadnrachud dismissed the Bombay Lawyers Association’s petition seeking a review of its order. The bench, after perusing the petition in chambers, held there was no merit in the plea seeking review of its April 19 verdict.

The court had on April 19 ruled the “documentary material on record indicates the death of Judge Loya was due to natural causes”. The review plea, reiterating the demand for a CBI probe, also sought deletion of the court’s finding that the petitions were a “veiled attempt to launch a frontal attack on the independence of the judiciary and to dilute the credibility of judicial institutions”.

The association said it was not trying to “sensationalise the subject” ... but to reassure the entire judiciary that the association would stand behind every judge in times of challenge. If the inquiry was ordered and it found Judge Loya had indeed died of a heart attack, it would have set all doubts to rest. But if the inquiry found some foul play, it would have truly been a great service to the independence and impartiality of the judiciary and its members.