Bhubaneswar: More than three weeks after the murder of Naba Das, a picture of the lone accused in the case, Gopal Das, aiming at the health minister from close range has surfaced. One can see his extending taut hands, but the service revolver with which he allegedly shot at Naba is not visible.
Naba was shot in the chest at Gandhi Chhak in Brajrajnagar area of Jharsuguda district on January 29 and died at a Bhubaneswar hospital hours later.
The accused had reportedly positioned himself in such a way as to let the minister see his face. After being shot at, Naba said, “kie gute maridela (someone has shot at me),” and faintly pointed his finger at the assailant. This then made the personal security officer (PSO), who was standing near the door realise that the minister has been hit. Since drums were being beaten to welcome the minister, the sound of the shot fired could not be heard clearly.
According to sources in Crime Branch, which is probing the case, Gopal allegedly killed the minister following his reported hatred for him as he blamed him for all illegal activities in Jharsuguda, and he had been living in fear and suspicion that Naba could get him killed.
The accused, who claimed to have been suffering from bipolar disorder, told the interrogators that two close associates of the slain minister had been issuing him warnings. Though the duo admitted to having told Gopal about the minister’s displeasure with him, they denied having issued any death threat.
Meanwhile, a local court, rejecting a prayer for a further comprehensive mental evaluation of Gopal at NIMHANS Bengaluru, has come in as a body blow to the beleaguered CB, which is still groping in dark over the motive behind the former minister’s murder.
In an official statement issued on Monday, the agency said that the killer cop had a prolonged history of mental illness, but it is not backed up by conclusive medical evidence to prove beyond reasonable doubt that he was undergoing bouts of psychiatric disorder.
The accused was earlier subjected to polygraph and narco-analysis tests in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
