Odisha CB Debunks ‘Conspiracy Theories’ In Naba Das’ Murder; Focus On Accused’s Mental Health

Bhubaneswar: While Opposition BJP and Congress have been crying foul over Health Minister Naba Das’s murder, the Crime Branch (CB), investigating the case, is yet to stumble upon any conspiracy angle behind the firing incident.

The interrogation of the lone accused in the case, Gopal Das, revealed that he had been planning to eliminate the minister since two to three months over his deep personal hatred for him. He blamed him for the suffering of people in Jharsuguda and this paranoia worked as a trigger for Gopal, who then decided to take law into his own hands. He has shown no sign of remorse for committing the crime, CB officials were quoted as saying by national dailies.

The call records and recent business activities have so far indicated no rivalry or conspiracy, they added.

The agency instead is focussing on his mental health and engaged experts for the purpose. The Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) team led by director Asha Srivastav has conducted layered voice analysis (LVA) to gauge the emotional behaviour, and mood fluctuations from the speech, which would help investigators to ascertain whether the person being tested is hiding or saying the truth. The NIMHANS doctors are likely to conduct more advanced tests and evaluate him on a psychological testing scale.

A series of psycho-diagnostic tests were also conducted on him to understand whether a possible relapse of his chronic mental illness had a correlation with his alleged crime.

Gopal had reportedly discontinued medicines being sent from Berhampur to his workplace in Jharsuguda district for some weeks in October-November last year and told investigators that he had resumed them after being coerced by his family members.

While his extended remand will end on Wednesday, Justice JP Das, who is monitoring the Crime Branch probe, will be visiting Jharsuguda on Tuesday, sources said.

On Monday, BJP MLA Subash Chandra Panigrahi said that since Naba was an influential leader in western Odisha and had stakes in highly profitable coal and mines business, another powerful leader from coastal Odisha hatched a conspiracy to take over his business empire.

Ajay Das, BJD MLA candidate from Kantabanji in 2019 Assembly polls, alleged that as BJD was getting stronger in Western Odisha after Padampur by-poll win in which Naba Das played a key role, some influential BJP leaders may have hatched a plan to eliminate the Jharsuguda MLA.

Congress has also alleged that Naba’s murder was part of a “deep-rooted conspiracy”.