Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis Tuesday said the Congress and NCP leaders were trying to politicise the B.H. Loya death by giving it a twist of foul play. While arguing that the final matter rests with the Supreme Court, Fadnavis said, “There is no question of Maharashtra government’s cover up in the case as all facts are in the public domain. Soon things will get clear.” Replying to a questions raised by Congress-NCP leaders in the state Legislature Assembly, Fadnavis said, “Justice Loya had come to Nagpur for the wedding of a fellow judge Swapna Joshi’s daughter, accompanied by judges Shridhar Kulkarni and Shriram Modak. They stayed at Ravi Bhawan, which was booked by a court assistant in his own name.” Former Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and senior NCP leader Jayant Patil had raised questions about the mysterious death of Loya and demanded investigation. In June 2014, Loya was appointed Special CBI court judge in Mumbai. He was hearing the Sohrabuddin Sheikh murder case, in which BJP president Amit Shah was allegedly implicated. Giving a chronology of the events, Fadvanis said, “After his arrival in Nagpur, Justice Loya attended the wedding and returned to Ravi Bhawan at 11 pm, where he talked with his wife over phone around 11.30 pm. At 1.30 am he retired to sleep. And at 4 am, he complained of chest pain. His colleagues called local judge Vijaykumar Barde and Deputy Registrar of Nagpur bench of High Court Rupesh Rathi at 4 am. They took him to Dande hospital.” After ECG, it was realised by the Medical Resident Officer that he would require specialised cardiac treatment for which he was shifted to Meditrina Hospital. At 6.15 am, he was declared dead. At least four judges arrived at the hospital by 7 am. The news of his death was conveyed by two judges to his family. And two fellow judges, along with a police official accompanied his body to Latur, from where he was taken to his village for last rites. To Chavan’s question on why the government recruited an expensive lawyer for the case, Fadnavis said, “It is an absurb argument. What is wrong in government seeking good lawyers.” If those trying to fabricate the case can deploy a battery of expensive lawyers, why shouldn’t any government hire best lawyers.
