New Delhi: The Maharashtra government on Friday strongly opposed in the Supreme Court the pleas seeking an independent probe into the death of former CBI Judge B.H. Loya, saying that the petitions are politically motivated as all their attention is towards one politician (BJP president Amit Shah)

Making this submission before a three-judge bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A.M. Kanwilkar and D.Y. Chandrachud, senior counsel Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Maharashtra, said, “Apart from politics, there is nothing amiss in the death of judge Loya.”

“These petitions are filed for extraneous petitions with oblique motive. The unfortunate death of judge Loya is sought to be politicised. They are activated by malice. Their real intention is not for a probe into the death of the judge. All their attention is one politician. In the guise of judicial independence, they are shedding crocodile tears,” Mr Rohatgi said.

Mr Rohatgi pointed out that there was not even a whisper by any of these petitioners, Bombay Advocates Association, Congress leader Tehseen Poonawala or journalist Bhandhuraj Lone till Caravan magazine raised a suspicion about Loya’s death based on wrong facts. The article was completely baseless without verification of facts.