Indian Express report thickens mystery surrounding death of Justice Loya

After several media reports raised questions over the circumstances surrounding sudden death of Justice Brijgopal Harkishan Loya in 2014 following the series of reports published by The Caravan, an Indian Express report has thickened mystery surrounding the death of CBI special judge.

The IE “investigative” report: CBI judge BH Loya’s death in 2014: Nothing suspicious, say two Bombay HC judges, who were at hospital, has claimed that the “crucial claims in Caravan report — ECG not working, judge virtually abandoned after death, body sent home unescorted — contradict records investigated by The Indian Express.”

Ironically, the picture of the purported ECG report of Justice Loya issued by Dande Hospital in Nagpur—where Justice Loya, 48, allegedly died of a heart attack on December 1, 2014—published by the IE along with it’s report is dated November 30, a day before the reported time of Justice Loya's ECG was conducted and his reported death.

“Wonder what kind of reporting does not take note of date and name of an ECG cited as crucial 'evidence' both being wrong and ECG was 'provided' to them. Very lack of attempt even to note or address huge discrepancy indicates mindset with which this reporting has been done,” political editor at The Caravan Hartosh Singh Bal said on twitter, reacting to the IE report.

Commenting on The Caravan report and the deceased judge’s sister’s question “why no ECG was done at Dande Hospital, where the judge was taken around 4 am from his cottage at Ravi Bhavan government rest-house in the Civil Lines area”, the IE report further claims that “records, show that an ECG was, indeed, done at Dande Hospital, a copy of which has been obtained by The Indian Express.”

The IE quoting two judges from Bombay High Court, Justice Bhushan Gavai and Justice Sunil Shukre, who claimed to be with Justice Loya in hospital at the time of his death, a day after he attended the wedding and reception of the daughter of fellow judge Swapna Joshi, reported there was “absolutely nothing suspicious about the death or the events around it”.

The deceased judge was presiding over the Soharabuddin “fake encounter” case at the time he died mysteriously in Nagpur.

“Thank you Indian Express for adding more mystery to the story. Unfortunately it is not Justice Loya's ECG as according to the story being cooked up so far he was taken ill on the night of November 30th and the ECG is 5.11am November 30. The two judges have been finally surfaced is good news,” social activist Shabnam Hashmi wrote on her Facebook wall, wondering: “Why is Indian Express doing this is a question.”

The IE report has raised many eyebrows, prompting several social media users to question the veracity of “investigation” done by the national daily: