Opposition MPs meet President, ask for SIT into Loya's death

Opposition MPs on Friday petitioned President Ram Nath Kovind for a court-monitored Special Investigation Team probe into the death of Central Bureau of Investigation judge B H Loya and said they have no faith in either the CBI or the NIA.

MPs from several political parties, including the Congress, the Trinamool Congress and the Dravida Munnetra Kazagham, met the president and presented him a memorandum with the demand.

The memorandum has been signed by 114 MPs from 15 parties, including the TMC, Samajwadi Party, Nationalist Congress Party, DMK, Rashtriya Janata Dal and Aam Aadmi Party as well as the Left parties. The Bahujan Samaj Party is not a signatory to the letter.

“To uphold the majesty of law, we request you to intervene in the matter. What is required is a thorough investigation through a team of independent officers selected and monitored by the Supreme Court,” the memorandum stated.

The investigation should not be entrusted to either the Central Bureau of Investigation or the National Investigation Agency, given their track record, the MPs said.

“Such a procedure will ensure the credibility of the institution in the eyes of the public. We sincerely hope you will use your good offices to serve the cause of justice,” they told the president.

Rahul Gandhi, who led the opposition charge, said a large number of MPs felt that there is something suspicious in the death of Loya and two more that took place thereafter.

“A large number of MPs feel suspicious and uneasy over the death of judge Loya and two others. They wanted an independent probe and did not want the investigation to be handed over to the CBI,” Gandhi said after the meeting.

He said the president gave a positive response and has assured them that he would look into the matter.

Stating that they have no faith in either the CBI or the NIA, he said they wanted an independent SIT, like in the 2G case.

Loya, who was hearing the sensitive Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case, died of a cardiac arrest in Nagpur on December 1, 2014, when he had gone to attend the wedding of a colleague’s daughter.

The issue came under the spotlight in November last year after media reports quoting his sister fuelled suspicion about the circumstances surrounding his death and its link to the Sohrabuddin case.