Naba Das Murder In Odisha: Daughter Deepali Says Family Will Write To Govt For CBI Probe

Bhubaneswar: Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader and former Odisha MLA Deepali Das on Sunday said that she will write to the state government seeking a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the murder of her father Naba Kishore Das in January 2023.

Deepali’s father, Naba Kishore Das was gunned down by a policeman at Brajarajnagar in Jharsuguda district on January 29, 2023, while serving as Health Minister in the previous BJD regime.

Stating that she has already urged the Chief Minister for a CBI probe into her father’s daylight murder, the former Jharsuguda MLA said that the issue relating to investigation in the case is being discussed in her family. “We will also write to the government in this regard. If the government is sensitive to the matter, and if they respect my late father without any self-interest, I must request them to go ahead,” Deepali told reporters.

The former legislator said that her family will fully cooperate with the investigation and do whatever is required in the probe. Deepali made it clear that his family is all for an investigation by the central agency into the broad daylight murder of her father.

Deepali’s statement came after the report of State Forensic Science Laboratory (SLSF) revealed use of multiple firearms in the murder of Naba Das. forensic reports revealed the use of multiple guns during the attack on Naba Das. According to the forensic report, there were other shooters involved besides the prime accused, Gopal Das.

The forensic report stated that while one bullet struck Naba Das, five others hit a government vehicle accompanying his convoy.

While accused Gopal Das was arrested on January 30, the State government had handed over the charge of inquiry to the State Crime Branch.

Notably, Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan had earlier said that Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi would take the final call on any investigation by the central agency.

He had also stated that investigation by the Crime Branch into the sensational murder did not yield any positive result as his family failed to make its stance clear on the issue.

The Minister further stated that the BJP, then in the opposition, was also demanding for a CBI probe into the matter claiming that the truth behind the case wouldn’t be unravelled through the crime branch investigation.