Invisible hand behind Loya death probe plea is of Rahul Gandhi: BJP

New Delhi, April 19: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) mounted an attack on the opposition Congress after the Supreme Court rejected pleas to probe the death of Judge B H Loya, alleging that the "invisible" hand behind the petitions was that of Rahul Gandhi who tried to use the judiciary for "character assassination" of Amit Shah.

The Supreme Court today ruled that Judge Loya died of natural causes and that the petitions were serious attempts to scandalise and obstruct the course of justice.

Addressing a press conference, 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.

Noting that the Congress had held press conferences and Gandhi had led a delegation of opposition parties to the President for seeking a probe, Patra said he should "apologise" and be "ashamed" for his conspiracy to target Amit Shah, and Indian judiciary and democracy.

The Congress engages in all sorts of conspiracies after its ruling family loses power, he alleged and added the attempt to use judiciary for political purposes was a "new low" in Indian politics.

The "invisible hand" behind these petitions in the apex court belonged to Gandhi and the Congress, Patra alleged. He alleged that they were filed to settle political scores as the opposition party is incapable of taking on Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the electoral field.

The issue of Loya's death had come under the spotlight in November last year after media reports quoting his sister had fuelled suspicion about circumstances surrounding it and its link to the Sohrabuddin case, which he was hearing before he died. Shah was an accused in the case but was later discharged.

Several activists and opposition parties had alleged a foul play in his death. While dismissing the plea for an independent probe, the top court today said that with these petitions it becomes clear that a real attempt and a frontal attack was made on the independence of the judiciary.

The apex court said frivolous and motivated litigation has been filed to settle political rivalry.

PTI