Bhubaneswar: Alleging a deep rooted conspiracy behind the killing of Odisha Health Minister Naba Das by a policeman, Congress on Tuesday demanded probe by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) and posed 7 questions to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on the episode.
Addressing a press meet in Bhubaneswar, senior Congress leader and former Minister Panchanan Kanungo said the way in which it is being claimed that accused Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) of police Gopal Krushna Das suffers from psychological disorder has created suspicion.
Both Kanungo and state Congress spokesman Sudarshan Das alleged that influential people are suspected to be involved in the mysterious killing of Naba Das as part of a deep rooted conspiracy.
The Congress leaders also demanded that Naveen relinquish the home department portfolio and order SIT probe into the mysterious murder as the Crime Branch investigation is unlikely to be fair and impartial.
Stating that police is yet to ascertain the motive behind the murder, he sought to know whether the accused police official was used by someone to eliminate the Minister. This is a highly sensitive issue and the Chief Minister or someone on his behalf should answer seven questions within seven days, said Kanungo.
– The government should tell whether the accused ASI had informed the Home department about the mental issues he encountered and since when he was undergoing medical treatment for this.
– It should be made clear whether the police official’s past record and health issues were examined before putting him on security duty.
– It should be ascertained whether the doctor who was reportedly treating the policeman had issued him a fitness certificate.
– The doctor who was treating the policeman must have prescribed medicines for him. Therefore, the hosptials and medicine stores from where he procured these medicines must be ascertained and made public.
– Immediately after the assassination of the Minister, the ASI’s wife claimed about his psychological issues. People should know whether she had disclosed this to the police department or others.
– It was surprising that the police did not overpower and nab the ASI after he fired at Naba Das. He was chased and overpowered by ordinary people. People should know as to what the police personnel deployed at the site were doing and why did they fail to apprehend the accused before people caught him.
– The circumstances in which the ASI went to the spot and fired at Naba Das from very close range should be clarified as his place of duty was somewhere else.
Kanungo said either the Chief Minister or some senior official of the Home department must answer these queries within seven days.
