Order an SIT probe into judge BH Loya's death, Opposition leaders urge President Ram Nath Kovind

NEW DELHI: A group of opposition leaders led by Congress president Rahul Gandhi met President Ram Nath Kovind and asked for an SIT probe into the death of special CBI court judge BH Loya. The delegation of opposition leaders presented a memorandum calling for the probe that was signed by 114 MPs from 15 opposition parties.

"Many MPs from both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha felt discomfort over it, and also feel that the matter should be probed, and an SIT should be formed," Rahul Gandhi told reporters after the meeting. He added that the President had responded positively to the request.

"A judge died under suspicious circumstances. It will be an ode to him and his family that the investigation takes place properly… We just want to have a proper investigation done by an independent structure that gives us the outcome," news agency ANI reported Rahul as having said.

Judge Loya's death in December 2014 had sparked controversy considering he was hearing the Sohrabuddin Sheikh and Tulsiram Prajapati cases. Following reports that he had died of a heart attack, opposition parties had raised questions saying the circumstances of his death seemed suspicious.

The Maharashtra government had only weeks ago submitted a report to the Supreme Court that ruled out foul play. This report had noted there was no evidence of anything untoward in the medical tests that had been carried out.

The family of judge Loya too had come out with a statement that they did not suspect any foul play, and requested that they be left alone.

However, opposition parties have continued to harbour doubts over the judge's death. The Supreme Court had the case transferred to itself from the Bombay High Court, and is hearing multiple petitions calling for a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to be formed to look into the matter.