HC Bins Plea For CBI Probe In Odisha Health Minister Naba Das’ Murder Case

Cuttack: A day after declining to entertain a PIL over government action on depression among police personnel, the Orissa High Court on Thursday quashed a petition seeking a CBI probe into Odisha Health Minister Naba Das’ murder case.

While refusing to interfere in the ongoing Crime Branch probe, the court observed that it has only been 14 days since it began probing the case and hence, too early to hand over the investigation to the central agency.

On Monday, Bharatiya Vikash Parishad filed the PIL, contending that the ongoing probe by the state police’s Crime Branch into the incident is not trustable. The State Chief Secretary, Home Secretary, DGP, CBI and the Crime Branch have been made parties in the case.

Notably, Justice JP Das, a retired Judge of the Orissa High Court, is monitoring the probe.

The HC on Wednesday dismissed a petition, seeking direction to the state government to take immediate steps for effective handling of depression and stress cases among police personnel.

Lawyer Shivsankar Mohanty filed the petition on Monday since dismissed ASI Gopal Das, who shot at Naba, is believed to be suffering from bipolar disorder. He also cited two other examples: inspector in-charge of Gangpur police station Dev Kumar Gamang, who died of bullet injuries under mysterious circumstances at his residential quarters on March 25, 2022, and Swagatika Behera (30), a sub-inspector posted at G Udaygiri police station in Phulbani district, who was found hanging from a ceiling fan at her residential quarters on August 27, 2022.