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Judge Loya case: SC Bench headed by CJI starts hearing

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Judge Loya case: SC Bench headed by CJI starts hearing

Above: Supreme Court; (inset) Judge Loya

Heated arguments between Chief Justice Dipak Misra and lawyers Dushyant Dave, Indira Jaising on Day 1 of hearing in the case

A three-judge Supreme Court Bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra and comprising Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud, on Monday (January 22) began hearing a petition that seeks an investigation into the mysterious death of special CBI judge BH Loya.

The assigning of the petition by the Chief Justice to a Bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra had, earlier this month, forced Justices J Chelameswar, Ranjan Gogoi, Madan B Lokur and Kurian Joseph to publicly protests against the ‘master of the roster’. Amid reports last week of the Bench of Justice Arun Mishra having recused itself from hearing the contentious petition, the case had been transferred to Court Number 1 of the Chief Justice last Saturday.

Judge Loya had died under mysterious circumstances on December 1, 2014 in Nagpur. At the time of his death, he was the presiding judge in the controversial Sohrabuddin Sheikh ‘fake encounter’ case in which BJP president Amit Shah was then a key accused.

On Monday, as the Bench began its hearing in the case it restrained all subordinate courts – high courts as well as trial courts – from entertaining any new petition relating to the mysterious death of Judge Loya while it also ordered that petitions related to the case currently pending in the Bombay High Court be transferred before it in the Supreme Court.

The proceedings once again saw antagonistic scenes and heated arguments between lawyers appearing for various parties in the case (senior advocate Harish Salve for the Maharashtra government, Dushyant Dave appearing for the Bombay Lawyers Association, Mukul Rohatgi and Indira Jaising representing other parties) and also with the Chief Justice.

Salve, appearing for the Maharashtra government, informed the Supreme Court that a discreet inquiry was conducted by his client to probe the death of Judge Loya and four judicial officers had concluded that there was no foul play involved. Salve also asserted that the special CBI judge had died of a cardiac arrest, a submission that senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi also concurred with during his submissions before the Bench.

Salve also submitted before the Bench a report prepared by the Maharashtra government on the death of Judge Loya, adding that these documents had also been presented before the Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court on November 23, 2017. The senior advocate also sought ot demolish claims made by the Caravan magazine which had first published an article raising questions on the circumstances in which Judge Loya died and speculating that the death was possibly a murder.

In his arguments, Salve claimed that the report filed by the judicial officers of Maharashtra on the death establish that Judge Loya had died of a cardiac arrest. He said that some other judges and a deputy registrar had accompanied Judge Loya to the hospital on the fateful day after he complained of uneasiness and that contrary to the claims made in the media report in question, there was nothing suspicious about the death of the judge at the Nagpur hospital.

However, Dushyant Dave, appearing on behalf of the Bombay Lawyers Association, contested the claims made by Dave, stating: “there are so many things which showed that he (Judge Loya) never checked in (at the hospital mentioned by Salve)” and that the security granted to Judge Loya had been withdrawn before his death.

Dave asserted that the allegations being made in the case are of a serious nature and need to be probed as he submitted: “First judge (in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case) was transferred, second judge (Judge Loya) was murdered and the third judge discharged him (BJP president and accused in the case Amit Shah).”

Rohatgi objected to Dave making his submissions in the case on grounds that he “is not a party in this matter” (the court was hearing the petition filed by Tehseen Poonawalla, who Dave was earlier representing but then recused himself after differences with Poonawalla over getting the case transferred from the Court of Justice Arun Mishra).

While Salve insinuated that the case was being “used” by certain individuals for possible vested interests, Dave shot back saying: “He (Salve) has destroyed the institution enough.”

As Salve and Dave engaged in a war of words, Justice Chandrachud tried to pacify the two senior advocates, saying: “There must be a sense of seriousness… this is a serious issue. You all have to assist the court.”

While Salve defended the report of the Maharashtra government on the death of Judge Loya that he had submitted before the Supreme Court, Dave hit back saying he had documents – accessed under the Right to Information – which contradict all claims made in this report.

Justice Chandrachud then said that the court would like to scrutinize every document related to the case – whether it is the report of the Maharashtra government or those being referred to by Dave. Harish Salve then asked the Bench to have Dave file his documents before the court.

Justice Chandrachud said that the court cannot decide on the matter based on reports in the newspapers over the suspicious death of Judge Loya and that it has to “look at all the circumstances of the case.”

As the Bench passed an order directing that all documents related to the case be filed with the Supreme Court and be taken on record, Dave and senior advocate Indira Jaising requested to be included as interveners in the case.

The Bench also directed for necessary orders to be issued to the Bombay High Court for transferring the cases listed before it and its Nagpur Bench in regard to Judge Loya’s death to the Supreme Court and said that the lawyers representing various parties in these cases are free to make their submission before the apex court.

At this juncture, as Harish Salve requested the court to direct petitioners in the case against making the documents – including the Maharashtra government’s report – public, Dave registered a strong protest, stating that the “entire institution is trying to save one person… Amit Shah”.

Salve objected to the name of the BJP president being dragged into the case and the inference being attached to it while he submitted that “we don’t have any record which shows that he (Judge Loya) was murdered… taking the name (of Amit Shah) in the court is not right.”

As Salve and Dave continued their verbal duel, Justice Khanwilkar urged the lawyers to not cast aspersions on individuals or on Amit Shah as he is not a party in the case.

Senior lawyer Jaising perhaps interpreted the court’s remark as an order against dissemination of information contained in the documents submitted before the Bench and dubbed the remark as being akin to gagging the media.

Referring to the Supreme Court’s recent verdict of not staying the release or upholding the ban imposed on the screening of the Deepika Padukone-starrer Padmaavat, Jaising burst into an argument, stating: “this court passed the Padmavati order to uphold freedom of speech and expression for media and now the court is telling the press to not report on this case.”

Jaising’s outburst was met with an immediate reprimand from Chief Justice Dipak Misra who shouted at the senior advocate, telling her that the court was hearing a petition on the need for an investigation into the suspicious death of a judge and not to examine freedom of speech and expression of the press. Jaising later apologised for her conduct.

The Bench then adjourned the proceedings till February 2.

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JMM-RJD-Congress are supporters of Bangladesh infiltrators: PM Modi at Jharkhand rally

Narendra Modi further claimed that if the bad policies of JMM, Congress and RJD continue, the adivasi society in Jharkhand will shrink

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JMM-RJD-Congress are supporters of Bangladesh infiltrators: PM Modi at Jharkhand rally

Ahead of the Jharkhand Assembly election, PM Narendra Modi launched a scathing attack on the incumbent Hemant Soren government, accusing it to put appeasement at the top of its agenda.

While addressing a rally in Jharkhand’s Garhwa, the Prime Minister said the coalition government of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, Congress and RJD are supporters of Bangladesh infiltrators. He said that the JMM-RJD-Congress government has taken appeasement to its peak, and that these parties are destroying the state’s social harmony. He alleged that the parties are supporters of infiltrators, and to get votes of Bangladesh infiltrators, they are getting them settled across Jharkhand.

The Prime Minister stated that when schools disallow Saraswati Vandana, one can imagine how big the danger is. When there is stone-pelting during festivals, Maa Durga is stopped and curfew is imposed, one knows how dangerous it is, he continued. The Prime Minister also added that when the issue of infiltration goes to court and the administration denies, it becomes clear that the government machinery has been infiltrated. PM Modi was referring to allegations that a Muslim teacher stopped prayers to Goddess Saraswati at a school in Jharkhand’s Giridih.

Narendra Modi further claimed that if the bad policies of JMM, Congress and RJD continue, the adivasi society in Jharkhand will shrink, and advised people to use their vote to uproot this infiltrator coalition. He maintained that Jharkhand’s swift development is possible only if it has a government that expedites the implementation of central schemes.

Referring to the JMM’s decision to replace Champai Soren as Chief Minister after Hemant Soren was granted bail in a money laundering case, PM Modi said that the party has left no stones unturned in humiliating an adivasi son. He asked how the party will take care of the people of the state when nothing matters to them more than family. He added that he does not have a family, and the people are his family. He also mentioned that Champai Soren, once a trusted lieutenant of Hemant Soren, is now with the BJP.

Slamming the ruling coalition of corruption, he said that corruption hollows out the country like termites, and destroys the poor, Dalits, people from backward classes and tribals. He claimed that Jharkhand has seen for five years the corruption of the JMM-Congress-RJD government.

He also referred to the massive cash haul from the home of Congress’s former Rajya Sabha MP Dhiraj Sahu last year. Mentioning that mountains of cash are recovered from the home of Congress’s Rajya Sabha MP, he questioned if this money didn’t belong to Jharkhand.

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Ruckus in Jammu and Kashmir Assembly over resolution against Article 370 abrogation

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah addressing the session, said that the resolution has no importance and it is only for the cameras.

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Ruckus in Jammu and Kashmir Assembly over resolution against Article 370 abrogation

Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on Monday witnessed chaos after People’s Democratic Party (PDP) MLA Waheed Para moved a resolution opposing the abrogation of Article 370 and called for restoring the union territory’s special status.

Waheed Para, the PDP MLA from the Pulwama Assembly seat, submitted the resolution to newly elected Speaker, Abdul Rahim Rather and requested for a discussion on the matter during the five-day session, despite not being a part of the agenda.

It was submitted that although the agenda of the House has been finalised, they believe that the authority as the Speaker allows the inclusion of the resolution, as it reflects the sentiment of the people at large. After the resolution was submitted, all 28 Jammu and Kashmir BJP MLAs stood up to oppose the move, leading to noisy scenes inside the Assembly.

As the members protested, BJP MLA Sham Lal Sharma demanded Para’s suspension for bringing the resolution in violation of Assembly rules. The agitation continued even after the Speaker repeatedly requested the protesting members to take their seats. He asserted the resolution has not come to him yet and when it does, he would examine it.

While the BJP members refused to call off their protest, National Conference MLAs slammed them for interrupting the proceedings of the House. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah addressing the session, said that the resolution has no importance and it is only for the cameras.

The Chief Minister added that how the House will reflect and discuss this matter will not be decided by any one member. If there was a purpose behind the resolution, then they would have discussed this with the government before, he continued.

Nonetheless, CM Abdullah also admitted that the people of Jammu and Kashmir do not approve of the decision taken on August 5, 2019, when Article 370 was abrogated. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha also said that his government will make all efforts for the restoration of full statehood. He mentioned that restoration of full statehood would be a reciprocation of the faith reposed by the people of Jammu and Kashmir in democratic institutions.

Meanwhile, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti expressed that she was proud of Waheed Para for submitting the resolution.

Notably, Article 370 was a provision in the Constitution that granted special autonomy to the region of Jammu and Kashmir. It also allowed the state to have its own constitution, flag, and autonomy over internal matters except defense, communications, and foreign affairs.

However, the Centre on August 5, 2019 revoked Article 370, effectively removing the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and reorganising it into two Union Territories namely, Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

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20 killed after bus falls into gorge near Uttarakhand’s Pauri-Almora border, CM Dhami expresses grief

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has announced financial assistance of Rs 4 lakh each for the families of the deceased and Rs 1 lakh each for the injured.

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20 killed after bus falls into gorge near Uttarakhand’s Pauri-Almora border, CM Dhami expresses grief

In a tragic incident, nearly 20 people were killed after a Garwal Motors Users bus fell into a 200-metre deep gorge near Uttarakhand’s Kupi in Ramnagar at Pauri-Almora border on Monday. The injured are being hurried to the hospital and a search operation is currently underway. At least 35 people were inside the bus when the accident occured.

The fatal accident was reported to authorities at around 9 am by passengers who had fallen from the bus during the accident. Police and teams from National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) are at the accident site in Marchula’s Salt area. 

Speaking to the media, District Magistrate Alok Kumar Pandey said that the bus was going from Garhwal to Kumaon where the accident took place at Marchula in Almora. Sanjay Kumar, Salt Sub-District Magistrate stated that some of the passengers have been rescued and admitted to hospital. 

Meanwhile, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has announced financial assistance of Rs 4 lakh each for the families of the deceased and Rs 1 lakh each for the injured. The Chief Minister also directed the Commissioner of the Kumaon division to carry out a magisterial inquiry into the incident. 

Taking to social media platform X, CM Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed grief, and said that a very sad news has been received about the casualties of passengers in the unfortunate bus accident that took place in Marchula of Almora district. He added that the district administration has been instructed to carry out relief and rescue operations swiftly. 

Furthermore, CM Dhami stated that the local administration and SDRF teams at the accident site are working rapidly to evacuate the injured and take them to the nearest health centre for treatment. He mentioned that instruction have also been given to airlift seriously injured passengers if required. 

In a tweet, the Prime Minister’s office also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from PMNRF for the next of kin of each deceased in the mishap in Almora, adding that the injured would be given Rs 50,000.

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