An association of lawyers on Monday filed a petition in the Bombay High Court demanding a probe into the death of additional sessions judge Brijgopal Harkishan Loya, who presided over a CBI court that was hearing the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case.
The main prayer from the Bombay High Court was the constitution of a commission of enquiry headed by a retired Supreme Court judge into the "events and circumstances" surrounding the death of Judge Loya in Nagpur in 2014, that has come to light in the wake of a report published in a news magazine.
The Maharashtra government, registrar general, the journalist and the magazine have been made respondents by the Bombay Lawyers' Association (BLA), which has requested the petition to be treated as a PIL.
BJP President Amit Shah was discharged by the special CBI court in the fake encounter case a couple of years ago.
In the petition, the BLA has quoted several several media reports since the controversy broke out. It also pointed out that Justice P B Sawant, former Supreme Court judge and retired Bombay High Court judges Justice B G Kholse-Patil, Justice B H Marlapalle and Justice A P Shah had called for an independent probe into the death of the presiding CBI judge.
"...That this news report/story has shaken the conscience of the judiciary as well as the legal fraternity. If independence and integrity of the judiciary is to be preserved, then the death of Judge Loya and the circumstances surrounding the same should be thoroughly investigated by a commission of enquiry headed by retired Supreme Court judge," the petition states.
Published 08 January 2018, 16:54 IST