The statement made by Anuj Loya, the son of late Justice Brijgopal Harkishan Loya, who reportedly died under mysterious circumstances in 2014, on Sunday night that his family has no suspicions about his father’s death set tongues on social media wagging.
While several wondered if the statement had been made under duress, others were quick to point fingers saying that the death had been unnecessarily politicised.
"I don't have any suspicion ... There was some suspicion before due to emotional turmoil, but now it is clear. I was 17 at that time and I was in emotional turmoil. Didn't understand anything at that time," Anuj said on Sunday.
Anuj, who is now 21, was accompanied by his lawyer Ameet Naik and said that his family was being harassed and that they do not want the issue to be politicized.
He, however, did not name the harassers when asked.
"What Anuj wants to convey, as I have been instructed, is to let this issue remain non-controversial, as there is no controversy and it need not be politicised," Ameet said.
The press conference comes nearly two months after the Caravan published a report on the death of CBI court judge BH Loya in a suspicious manner in Nagpur in 2014.
Loya was at the time hearing a high-profile case relating to the alleged staged encounter of Sohrabuddin Sheikh in 2005. Bharatiya Janata Party national president Amit Shah, who was then the Gujarat Home Minister, was the prime accused in the case.
Speaking to Caravan, Shrinivas Loya, the paternal uncle of the late Justice Loya, said that Anuj is "too young" and could be "under pressure".
Talking about the press conference, he said, "Now what should I say. Is he adult enough? He's just crossed 18. There might be pressure [on him.]"
Many others too have since expressed concerns over Anuj's recent statement and have pointed out to a letter that he supposedly wrote in 2015 indicating their lives were under threat.
"If anything happens to me or my family members, chief justice, Mohit Shah and others involved in the conspiracy will be responsible," he reportedly wrote in the letter.
as people attempt damage control of the loya case, the two letters purportedly written by Loya's son, the first is clearly genuine, written voluntarily, the second, well judge for yourself. https://t.co/Ae1YtwyCic
— Hartosh Singh Bal (@HartoshSinghBal) January 14, 2018
the anuj loya presser, everyone should look at the footage with an open mind. look at the son, not his lawyer. hear his answers, not the lawyers, watch his expressions, not the lawyers.
— Hartosh Singh Bal (@HartoshSinghBal) January 14, 2018
& then let's wonder why he is under such pressure, & that's not coming from the media.
& as everyone will get to see channels run today's Anuj Loya, do please watch this & see what the family's grief & suspicions are about.
— Hartosh Singh Bal (@HartoshSinghBal) January 14, 2018
See what it means to speak without lawyers present, without fear, looking straight into the camera's eyehttps://t.co/AFqqT1UwjS
Don't harass us: Judge Loya son says to media. Same son in Feb 2015, according to a friend of his, wrote: 'if anything happens to us, xxx and others involved in conspiracy will be responsible.' So what changed? Or who changed what?
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) January 14, 2018
Look at Justice Loya's son's reaction at 0:11 when was probably told that Camera is being focused on the paper which he is reading. pic.twitter.com/XuQNQFQ2QY
— Unofficial Sususwamy (@swamv39) January 14, 2018
Even if Justice Loya’s son doesn’t want investigation SC petition should proceed. Now it has become a matter of public importance, not only a family matter. Will @AmitShah clarify his position? Did he pressurise Loya’s son?
— nikhil wagle (@waglenikhil) January 14, 2018
If you believe Loya's son, you should also believe Sohrabuddin's brother ...no? pic.twitter.com/sANfWBXdk7
— Kapil (@kapsology) January 15, 2018
However, some also feel that there are vested interests that are trying to find controversy where there is none. And that the hype around the case is only to defame Amit Shah and the government.
Justice Loya's son Anuj holds presser, reiterates his father died of cardiac arrest, blames political parties & activists for harassing his family. @thecaravanindia, senior journos, judges & @INCIndia which jumped on the bandwagon completely discredited https://t.co/or6rx0Rb4S
— Minhaz Merchant (@MinhazMerchant) January 14, 2018
Michelle Vadra - Richard Vadra and Rajendra Vadra : all died mysteriously within years of Robert's marriage into Gandhi family- not one journo ever Qnd it- same journos are Qng Justice Loya son on his father's death- need any proof of bikaoo journalists???
— Alok Bhatt (@alok_bhatt) January 14, 2018
Justice Loya’s son Anuj Loya says he & his family has not any suspicion over his father’s death But Commie Vultures trying to corner govt by defaming CJI.
— Prashant P. Umrao (@ippatel) January 14, 2018
They know more about Rohit vemula’s caste than his father
— Ram (@ramprasad_c) January 13, 2018
They know more about Loya’s death than his son
They know more about surgical strike than the army
No shortage of Sherlocks in Lutyens.
Creatures who wanted Tharoor be allowed (and he royally was) to grieve in private and who killed questions over Sunanda's entirely suspicious death are now attacking Justice Loya's son as the latter wanting to be left alone to grieve defeats their agenda.
— Rahul Roushan (@rahulroushan) January 14, 2018
Just last week, four sitting judges of the Supreme Court, in an unprecedented move, addressed the media alleging that the administration of the SC was not in 'order'. This press conference was reportedly in response to the assignment of the Judge Loya case to J Arun Mishra's bench.