Naba Das Murder: Accused Cop Submitted Fitness Certificate Twice For Unauthorised Absence, Minister Informs Odisha Assembly

Bhubaneswar: Dismissed policeman Gopal Das, accused in Naba Kishore Das murder, had remained absent unauthorisedly from duty twice during 2014-15 and submitted fitness certificate pertaining to treatment for psychiatric disorder, Odisha Assembly was informed on Monday.

This information was given by Minister of State for Home Tusharkanti Behera in the House.

The dismissed ASI had remained absent in office unauthorisedly from February 3, 2014 to April 3, 2014. He had submitted fitness certificate and other documents pertaining to his treatment for psychiatric disorder (bipolar affective disorder) at MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur, urging his higher authorities to consider his absence from service as leave (EL) period.

His request was accepted and he was allowed to resume work, the Minister replying to separate questions by Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Narasingha Mishra and BJP MLA Subash Chandra Panigrahi.

Gopal Das had remained absent from work unauthorisedly from March 1, 2015 to June 27, 2015. Subsequently, he submitted his fitness certificate and other documents pertaining to treatment for bipolar disorder and urged the higher authorities to consider his absence from work as leave period (EL). His requested was also accepted, said the Minister.

The dismissed policeman had sought leave on 41 occasions between 2014 and 2022 for various reasons including treatment of his wife and brother.

However, he had never applied for leave citing his medical treatment for bipolar disorder. Gopal Das had never submitted any representation seeking transfer, he said, adding that Gopal Das’ performance as a policeman in the last 10 years appeared to be satisfactory.

Gopal Das had investigated altogether 299 cases as Investigating Officer (IO) during the last 10 years of his service period, added the minister.

While he had been rewarded on at least 12 occasions for remarkable performance as a police personnel between 2013 and 2020, he had done good work during the Nabakalebara festival of Lord Jagannath in Puri. Gopal had also performed well during the visit of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to Sambalpur and Jharsuguda districts in last few years, the Minister.

It may be noted that Gopal Das had allegedly fired at the then Health Minister Naba Kishore Das at Brajarajnagar in Jharsuguda district on January 29, 2022. Naba Das succumbed to injuries at a Bhubaneswar hospital the same evening.