Breaking his silence on the justice Loya death case, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Tuesday that media reports are “blatantly incorrect and imaginary” and the death was natural. He also produced a message by a forensic expert formerly associated with the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, (AIIMS), Delhi. Fadnavis said the issue was blown out of proportion and the truth would come out as the Supreme Court verdict on the issue is expected soon.
Fadnavis, while replying to a debate on law and order, said in the state Assembly that even relatives of the former justice had said they did not suspect any foul play. “Justice Loya’s son addressed a press conference in Mumbai saying he did not buy the claims by a magazine that published the story first last year. He also had given a letter to the chief justice of the Bombay high court. The story by the magazine was imaginary, blatantly incorrect and contradictory,” he said.
A magazine had recently run a story raising suspicions over justice Loya’s death in December 2014. Brijgopal Harkishan Loya, 48, was presiding over the Central Bureau of Investigation special court in Mumbai. He had been hearing the high profile case of the alleged encounter of Sohrabuddin Sheikh in 2005. Justice Loya died in Nagpur in December, 2014 when he had gone there to attend the wedding of a colleague’s daughter.
Fadnavis also gave the reference of forensic expert RK Sharma, who was formerly associated with AIIMS in Delhi, saying even he said that the magazine had misquoted him. “In response to our mail, Sharma has said that he was grossly misquoted and the conclusions drawn were imaginary. He said that he had a general discussion with the reporter but he never gave any report in the Loya case. This proves that the story was based on lies,” Fadnavis said. The CM alleged that the case was used for political gain and to defame the government.
{{/usCountry}}Fadnavis also gave the reference of forensic expert RK Sharma, who was formerly associated with AIIMS in Delhi, saying even he said that the magazine had misquoted him. “In response to our mail, Sharma has said that he was grossly misquoted and the conclusions drawn were imaginary. He said that he had a general discussion with the reporter but he never gave any report in the Loya case. This proves that the story was based on lies,” Fadnavis said. The CM alleged that the case was used for political gain and to defame the government.
{{/usCountry}}The final verdict in the case is expected soon and it will clear the air of suspicion, Fadnavis said.
The Opposition had, during the debate, raised questions over justice Loya’s death.
Congress legislator Prithviraj Chavan had questioned why lawyers who charge “hefty fees” were engaged by the government in the case. In response, Fadnavis asked why were questions not raised over petitioners who have engaged a battery of eight to nine lawyers and why is the government expected to assign the responsibility to junior lawyers.
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