Judicial probe sought in CBI judge's death

A group of civil society activists and academicians on Wednesday alleged that CBI Judge Brijgopal Harkishan Loya, who was hearing the Sohrabuddin Sheikh case, had died in "mysterious circumstances" in 2014 and demanded a high-level judicial inquiry into the matter.

Addressing a press conference here, civil society activists Shabnam Hashmi and Sayeeda Hameed, academicians Apoorvanand and Manisha Sethi and Hartosh Singh Bal, Political Editor of Caravan magazime, said they were dismayed at the "chilling details" that have emerged recently over the death of the judge.

They said that Loya's father, sister and niece have spoken to a journalist of the magazine, about death of the judge in Nagpur on night of November 30 or December 1 morning.

The activists said the media reported that judge had died of a heart attack but his sister had said there was blood on his collar, his belt was twisted in the opposite direction, and the pant clip was broken.

They said Loya's father also said there were blood stains on the clothes.

Citing the family, they said all pages of the post mortem report were signed by a paternal cousin, "who no one knows from the family".

They said investigative report which has appeared in three parts in The Caravan raises questions and points "to inconsistencies in the story told so far to the world and the family by the officials".

The activists said Loya was 48 years with no history of any heart ailment and raised questions over "wiping clean of all data" from phone before it was returned to the family.

"We demand an immediate high-level judicial inquiry and security for the Loya family and the journalist Niranjan Takle," they said.

--IANS

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