Special CBI judge Justice Brijgopal Harikishan Loya had reportedly died of cardiac arrest in Nagpur on December 1, 2014. (Photo: IE)Supreme Court crisis: In the wake of the controversy that was sparked by 4 sitting judges of the Supreme Court highlighting their concerns at the state of affairs at the apex court has led to Justice Loya’s son addressed a press conference today. Special CBI judge Justice Brijgopal Harikishan Loya had reportedly died of cardiac arrest in Nagpur on December 1, 2014, when he had gone to attend the wedding of a colleague’s daughter. At the time of death, Loya, was hearing the case related to the alleged fake encounter killing of gangster Sohrabuddin Sheikh, his wife Kausar Bi and associate Tulsi Prajapati in 2005. On January 14, the Bombay Lawyers Association (BLA) had filed a petition in the Supreme Court, seeking a probe into his death and said it was “motivated”.
In his opening remarks, Justice Loya’s son said, “Our family is pained with the chain of events in past few days. Please don’t harass us.”
Anuj Loya quotes:
* Family has no complaints against anyone.
* Urge NGOs and politicians to stop “harassing” family over father’s death.
* We faced some pressure from politicians and NGOs. We don’t want to name anyone, but please excuse my family from continuously asking about my father’s death.
* I had an emotional turmoil, hence I had suspicions about his death. But now we don’t have any doubts about the way he died
* Earlier my grandfather and aunt had some doubts about his death, which they shared. But now neither of them has any doubts.
#WATCH: Anuj Loya, Justice Loya’s son says, ‘we are convinced that his was a natural death. We do not have any suspicion about it.’ pic.twitter.com/WqghpxvXGx
— ANI (@ANI) January 14, 2018
Ameer Naik, Lawyer of Justice Loya’s son said, “There is no controversy. No need of politicising the issue. This is a tragic event. We do not want to be victims of politicisation of the issue. Let it remain the way it is, non – controversial.”
BLA president Ahmed Abdi yesterday held a press conference following allegations made by four senior judges of the Supreme Court claiming impropriety on part of Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra in assigning important cases. Among the cases mentioned by the four SC judges included the one linked to Loya’s death. “Our petition was filed on January 4. This petition in the Supreme Court has been filed subsequently. This was motivated and meant to ensure the High Court does not hear our petition on the ground that the apex court is seized of the matter,” Abdi said. He also alleged that even though their petition was filed on January 4, it was numbered by the HC Registrar only in the afternoon of January 12 after the unprecedented press conference of the four SC judges in New Delhi.
“If the lawyers association faces such treatment then what about the general public? The High Court takes suo motu (on its own) cognisance of issues like potholes on roads but not in the case of a judge’s death. My demand is for an open inquiry (into Loya’s death),” Abdi said.