On a rainy morning in 2014, a judge named Brijgopal Harkishan Loya got into a car in Nagpur and never made it back alive. What followed was a bizarre mix of mystery, politics, allegations, and, surprisingly, a lot of peculiar twists that left the nation scratching its head. This wasn’t your typical courtroom drama — this was a real-life mystery that was as confounding as it was strangely fascinating.

A Man With a Heavy Case

Judge Loya was handling a sensitive case — the Sohrabuddin Sheikh encounter killing. This was no ordinary case. It involved high-profile police officers and even a prominent political figure: Amit Shah, who was then the BJP’s national president and is now India’s Home Minister.

In 2005, Sohrabuddin, a suspected gangster, was allegedly killed in a fake encounter by Gujarat police. His wife, Kauser B, also went missing and was presumed murdered. The CBI took over the case, and Amit Shah was accused of being involved in the conspiracy. Though Shah denied all charges, the case remained politically charged.

Judge Loya took over the case in 2014 after the previous judge was transferred. Soon after, Loya reportedly started receiving offers of bribes and threats, according to his family. Just weeks later, he died under mysterious circumstances during a visit to Nagpur.

A Mysterious Death

Judge Loya’s death was officially attributed to a heart attack. But the circumstances were strange. He had no known history of heart issues. The timeline was odd, medical records were sketchy, and there were inconsistencies in the statements of those present.

His family spoke out. His sister said he had confided in her about being under pressure to deliver a favourable verdict. His father said Loya had mentioned receiving an offer of Rs. 100 crore and a house in Mumbai. The postmortem was done without the family’s consent. Even the ECG reports were missing.

Friends or Fiction?

Loya was reportedly in Nagpur for a colleague’s daughter’s wedding and was accompanied by two fellow judges. But their accounts didn’t always match. One said he was taken to one hospital, another said he was taken to a different one. Nobody knew who signed off the postmortem. There were no CCTV recordings, and strangely, Loya’s body was sent back in an ambulance with a stranger, not a colleague.

Was it all a tragic coincidence, or something more sinister?

The Supreme Court Steps In

In 2018, a flurry of media reports reignited interest in the case. The Caravan magazine published a series of explosive articles based on interviews with Loya’s family. This caused a media storm. Petitions were filed in the Supreme Court seeking an independent probe into the judge’s death.

But in April 2018, the Supreme Court dismissed the petitions. The bench called the case an attempt to "scandalize and obstruct the judicial process." They said there was no reason to doubt the official version of events.

This verdict raised more eyebrows. Critics claimed that a thorough investigation was necessary, especially given the serious allegations and inconsistencies. Supporters of the verdict said the matter was being politicized.

Too Many Questions, Too Few Answers

The case was filled with unanswered questions:

• Why were there discrepancies in the statements about Loya’s final hours?
• Why were medical records missing or unclear?
• Why wasn’t an independent investigation conducted, given the sensitivity of the case?
• Why were the people accused in the Sohrabuddin case all acquitted eventually?

And perhaps the most important question of all: can justice ever truly be delivered if those in power are involved?

A Comedy of Errors?

Amidst the serious tone, some parts of the case bordered on the absurd:

•  A high-profile judge dying with no CCTV footage?
• A postmortem without a family member present?
• An ambulance driven by a stranger transporting a judge’s body over 700 km?

It was as if India’s judicial system had walked into a Kafkaesque theatre.

What the Nation Thought

Public opinion was deeply divided. Some believed that Loya’s death was indeed natural and that the entire case was being used to defame a political party. Others saw it as a chilling example of what happens when power and justice collide.

Journalists, activists, and opposition politicians demanded transparency. But in a country as politically vibrant — and noisy — as India, the noise soon faded.

The judge who replaced Loya in the case acquitted all 22 accused, including Amit Shah, citing a lack of evidence.

Where Things Stand Now

Years have passed. The case is closed. No new inquiry is likely unless fresh evidence emerges. Loya’s death remains an uncomfortable chapter — a mystery with too many holes and too few answers.

His family, after initial statements, retreated from the public eye. Some speculate pressure, others exhaustion.

But the questions linger. And so does the strangeness of it all.

A Mirror to Our System

The Loya case is not just about one man’s death. It reflects deeper cracks in India’s legal and political system. How do we protect judges? Who watches the watchmen? What happens when a judge dies in the line of duty and nobody seems to know what really happened?

In a country where judicial independence is sacred, the mystery of Judge Loya stands as a haunting — and slightly surreal — reminder that even the most powerful institutions can falter.

Whether you see it as a serious crime or a strange set of coincidences, one thing is clear: the Curious Case of Judge Loya will remain one of India’s most puzzling legal stories for years to come.

.    .    .

References:

• Chaturvedi, S. (2018). The Caravan's series on Judge Loya's mysterious death. The Caravan. https://caravanmagazine.in
• Supreme Court of India. (2018). Judgment on PILs regarding
  Judge Loya’s death. Retrieved from https://main.sci.gov.in
• Press Trust of India. (2018, April 19). SC dismisses pleas for probe into Judge Loya’s death. The Hindu. https://www.thehindu.com
• Indian Express. (2018). Explained: The Judge Loya case. https://indianexpress.com