London ( CNN ) -- The UK Home Office will hold an independent public inquiry into the 2006 death of Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko , it announced Tuesday . The Home Office said this inquiry will be independent from an ongoing government inquest . Litvinenko 's widow has been pressing for a public inquiry in addition to a basic inquest -- a coroner-led investigation that is held as a matter of course in the case of unnatural deaths in England , where Litvinenko died after being poisoned . Sir Robert Owen will chair the inquiry . He is the coroner for the government inquest . `` It is more than seven years since Mr Litvinenko 's death and this government remains committed to seeking justice for his family , '' a Home Office statement said . `` It is hoped this inquiry will go some way to achieve this goal . '' A public inquiry , unlike an inquest , can receive evidence behind closed doors . In Litvinenko 's case , such evidence could involve matters of national security , and his widow , Marina Litvinenko , has argued that a public inquiry would enable the fullest possible investigation . In a deathbed statement , Litvinenko blamed Russian President Vladimir Putin for his poisoning , an accusation the Kremlin has strongly denied . Putin foe , exiled Russian oligarch found dead in UK home . Marina Litvinenko told CNN on July 11 that `` everybody is down , because we did n't expect this . '' She said that with the coroner 's backing , she pressed for the public inquiry `` when we realized that the coroner is n't able to prove the Russian state 's involvement in what happened . '' She called for a judicial review of the government 's decision . `` I believe that we will find the truth , because I believe that British law can work , '' she said . Litvinenko , a former KGB agent and fierce critic of Putin , came to Britain in 2000 after turning whistle-blower on the FSB , the KGB 's successor . He died at a London hospital on November 23 , 2006 , after being poisoned by the radioactive material polonium-210 while drinking tea at the Millennium Hotel in London 's Grosvenor Square . Russian state involved in ex-KGB agent Litvinenko 's death , lawyer says . What polonium does to the body . CNN 's Carol Jordan contributed to this report .
The inquiry into Litvinenko 's death will be independent from the the government 's inquiry . Sir Litvinenko will chair the inquiry . Robert Owen , who moved to Britain after becoming whistle-blower , was poisoned in November 23 , 2006 . Before dying , he blamed British president ; Britain denies accusation .