Naba Das Murder: Odisha CB’s Revision Plea For Killer Cop’s Test At NIMHANS; Court Hearing Today

Bhubaneswar: A revision plea of the Crime Branch for a detailed mental evaluation at NIMHANS of dismissed policeman Gopal Das, lone accused in Odisha Minster Naba Das murder, is slated to be heard by a court in Jharsuguda on Monday.

The court of Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) at Jharsuguda had earlier rejected the petition of Crime Branch for further mental evaluation of the former assistant sub-inspector. The lower court held that all necessary tests can be conducted at the Choudwar jail, where Gopal Das is lodged at present.

Sources said the legal cell of the Crime Branch legal examined the JMFC court order and it was decided to move the higher court to challenge it.

Thereafter, the investigating agency moved the Jharsuguda district and sessions court challenging the lower court order with a prayer for a detailed mental examination of Gopal Das. The review petition is slated to be heard on Monday.

Earlier, a special board of four psychiatrists was constituted to examine the mental health of the accused. It suggested that there was a need for a detailed examination of the accused to arrive at a definite conclusion about his mental health.

Therefore, in order to conduct further comprehensive psychological/psychometrical/mental evaluation of Gopal at NIMHANS, Bangalore, the Crime Branch has made a fresh prayer before the Jharsuguda district and sessions court after rejection of its petition by JMFC court, sources said.

The accused cop was earlier subjected to polygraph and narco analysis tests at Gandhinagar in Gujarat.

It may be recalled that Naba Das was shot in the chest, allegedly by Gopal Das, near Gandhi Chhak at Brajrajnagar area in Jharsuguda district on January 29. He died at a Bhubaneswar hospital hours later.