BJP alleges Rahul Gandhi behind petitions in judge Loya case, asks Congress to apologise

The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed a batch of petitions seeking an independent probe into the alleged mysterious death of special CBI judge B H Loya.

Sambit Patra alleged the "invisible hand" behind petitions in Judge Loya case in the apex court belonged to Rahul Gandhi and the Congress.

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed a batch of petitions seeking an independent probe into the alleged mysterious death of special CBI judge B H Loya. Loya's court was handling the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case filed by the CBI, in which BJP president Amit Shah was one of the accused. Loya died of cardiac arrest in Nagpur on December 1, 2014, when he had gone to attend the wedding of a colleague's daughter. Shah was later discharged by the court from the case. A bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud on Thursday while rejecting the pleas said attempts were made to scandalise the judiciary by levelling serious allegations against judicial officers and judges of the Bombay High Court. The BJP came down heavily on opposition parties after the top court dismissed the petition seeking an independent probe into the death of Judge Loya. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra described the public interest litigations seeking the probe into the death of Judge Loya as "political interest litigation", and charged that Gandhi and his party were behind it.

The people who have been politicizing the judiciary for their own motives, now stand exposed: Sambit Patra, BJP on SC dismissing petitions seeking SIT probe in #JudgeLoya death case pic.twitter.com/nLPNc8R9Ua

— ANI (@ANI) April 19, 2018

"For sometime, a few people were trying to politicise the judiciary. The court has slammed the petitioners who were demanding a SIT probe into the death of Judge Loya," he said. Patra alleged the "invisible hand" behind these petitions in the apex court belonged to Gandhi and the Congress. "Who held a press conference on January 12, 2018? It was Rahul Gandhi. It will be true to say the invisible hand, the invisible body that the Supreme Court is talking about... is none other than Rahul Gandhi and the Congress," he said. He said that all the petitions were politically motivated and were aimed at defaming Amit Shah. "Today, he (Rahul Gandhi) got a befitting reply from the Supreme Court." "You people lost power because of your inefficiencies. And it's the reason why you people are so jealous. Rahul Gandhi should come out and apologize to (BJP President) Amit Shah, the country and judiciary," he said. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh also came down heavily on "several attempts" to target the BJP and its top leaders through "fake" cases. "Today the Apex Court of the country has not only rejected the PIL pertaining to Justice Loya’s death but also raised serious questions on the intention of filing such PILs," Rajnath said in a series of tweets.

Today the Apex Court of the country has not only rejected the PIL pertaining to Justice Loya’s death but also raised serious questions on the intention of filing such PILs.

— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) April 19, 2018

"The Supreme Court has also cautioned against the misuse of courts in political tug of war. The SC verdict gives a clear message that the judiciary can not be misled by allegations based on political vendetta," he added.

The Supreme Court has also cautioned against the misuse of courts in political tug of war. The SC verdict gives a clear message that the judiciary can not be misled by allegations based on political vendetta.

— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) April 19, 2018

"It is extremely unfortunate that there have been several attempts of targeting the BJP and assassinating the character of its top leaders on the basis of ‘fake facts’. These attempts have failed miserably once again," he wrote on Twitter

Today the Apex Court of the country has not only rejected the PIL pertaining to Justice Loya’s death but also raised serious questions on the intention of filing such PILs.

— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) April 19, 2018