BJP says Rahul 'invisible hand' behind Loya PILs, demands apology

Mounting an attack on the Congress after the Supreme Court rejected pleas to probe the death of judge B H Loya, the BJP today alleged that Rahul Gandhi was the "invisible hand" behind the petitions and demanded an apology from him and Sonia Gandhi for defaming its top leadership.

The Congress president had tried to use the judiciary for the character assassination of BJP chief Amit Shah, party spokesperson Sambit Patra said.

His colleague and Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi added that the Supreme Court verdict had demolished the Congress' efforts to defame the BJP's top leadership and the party, Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi should apologise for the "sin".

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

It dubbed the PILs into the death of judge Loya, who was hearing the high-profile Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case, frivolous and motivated litigations to settle political scores. Shah was an accused in the case but was later discharged.

Addressing a press conference, Patra described the public interest litigations seeking a probe Loya's death "political interest litigation" and said the Congress and Rahul Gandhi were behind it.

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

The Congress was engaging in all sorts of conspiracies after its ruling family had lost power, he alleged, adding that the attempt to use the judiciary for political purposes was a "new low" in Indian politics.

The "invisible hand" behind these petitions in the apex court belonged to Rahul Gandhi and the Congress, Patra alleged.

Echoing him, Naqvi said the Supreme Court order on Judge Loya case had exposed the criminal conspiracy of Congress and its "freelance friends".

When the Congress was in power, it failed to destroy Prime Minister Narendra Modis leadership and his credibility as Gujarat chief minister as well as Amit Shah, he said. Now in opposition, the party was conspiring to defame BJP's top leadership, he said.

"Today's judgement has demolished the Congress' attempts of hatching criminal conspiracy to destroy and defame our top leadership. The Congress, its president Shri Rahul Gandhi and Smt Sonia Gandhi should apologise for this sin," Naqvi told reporters here.

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

While dismissing the plea for an independent probe, the top court said that it became clear with these petitions that a frontal attack was made on the independence of the judiciary.