Naba Das Murder Case: Odisha Crime Branch Likely To File Chargesheet Against Gopal Das Today

Bhubaneswar: Around four months after the sensational murder of Minister Naba Kishore Das in broad daylight, the Crime Branch of Odisha Police is likely to file a chargesheet against dismissed policeman Gopal Das, the lone accused in the case.

Sources said the Crime Branch, which has been investigating into the broad daylight murder of the then Health Minister on January 29 this year, is expected to file the chargesheet today in the court of the SDJM in Jharsuguda.

Accused Gopal Das, who was an assistant sub-inspector (ASI) of Police had opened fire at Naba Das when he was proceeding to attend an event near Gandhi Chhak at Brajarajnaagar in Jharsuguda district on January 29, 2023.

The accused policeman was then arrested and dismissed from service in the aftermath of the sensational daylight murder.

Naba Das was on the way to attend an event when Gopal Das, who was in police uniform, suddenly came near the minister’s vehicle and opened fire at him from close range with his service revolver. Naba Das was immediately rushed to Jharsuguda hospital in a critical condition and later shifted to Bhubaneswar where he breathed his last the same evening.

Soon after Gopal’s arrest, his family and the probe agency allegedly attempted to declare him mentally unstable.

Different political parties and several supporters of Naba Das had earlier expressed doubt over the probe process. Political leaders had also alleged that there was a larger conspiracy behind the murder with the involvement of some bigwigs.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had stated that the Crime Branch had sought the help of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of America to study the behavioural pattern of accused Gopal Das.