Supreme Court plea filed only to kill our petition in HC: Lawyers

Mumbai: The Bombay Lawyers’ Association (BLA) on Saturday alleged that it has faced problems in completing the procedure for filing a PIL in the Bombay high court, seeking a judicial commission probe into CBI judge Brijgopal Harkishan Loya’s death. It also alleged that the petition seeking a probe into Judge Loya’s death in the SC was filed only to kill their petition in the high court. This claim comes close on the heels of four senior Supreme Court judges going public with their grievance against the CJI for the selective assignment of cases to selective benches on Friday.

“We filed the petition on January 4, and it generally takes two days to get it numbered, which means the petition has been formally filed. But our petition was numbered on January 12.  Why did it take eight days to complete formalities of this petition, which is dealing with the sensitive subject of a judge’s death?” said advocate Ahmed Abdi, president of BLA. He alleged that the petition was numbered only after BLA members constantly followed up on its status.

“The petition in the SC was filed after news was published that we have filed a PIL in the high court. Our petition was kept pending in procedures, and in the meantime, the apex court heard and even issued directions seeking all the records in connection with Judge Loya’s death,” said Abdi.

He alleged that this all was done to ensure that if this issue is pending in SC, then no other high court would be able to hear it.