Gopal Das’ wife, nephew questioned in minister Naba Das murder case

By Swagatika Bhutia

Bhubaneswar, Feb. 4: Continuing its probe into the gruesome murder of Odisha health minister and Biju Janata Dal (BJD)  leader Naba Kishore Das, the Crime Branch sleuths on Saturday questioned accused Gopal Das’ wife and nephew in Berhampur.

A four-member Crime Branch team reached the residence of Gopal Das at Ankuli industrial area under Baidyanathpur police limits in Berhampur on Saturday morning and grilled his wife Jayanti Das and nephew in connection with the high-profile murder.

Earlier, Gopal Das’ elder brother was also picked up by the Crime Branch for questioning in the case.

The remand period of Gopal Das, who is in judicial custody in the murder case, will end today. He is on the 4-day remand by the Crime Branch since February 1.

During the probe, the investigative team led by IPS Officer Arun Bothra found 22 pieces of handwritten papers from septic tank of Jharsuguda Airport Police Station. A few handwriting experts have been roped in to examine the retrieved notes.

The accused had reportedly written the motive behind killing the minister in the papers. He had flushed the handwritten notes at the toilet during his detention at Airport Police Station, sources said.

On Friday, the Crime Branch team had seized a few documents and diaries from the accused’s government quarters and office desk at Brajarajnagar in Jharsuguda district.

Gopal Das, the accused who worked as an Assistant Sub-inspector of police at Gandhi Chowk Police Outpost on January 29 allegedly gunned down the minister at Brajarajnagar.  The minister was fired from point blank range as he was stepping out of his vehicle to receive welcome by the party workers.

Immediately after the firing, he was airlifted to Bhubaneswar in critical condition where he underwent a surgery. Despite the best efforts by the doctors of Apollo Hospital, the minister succumbed to his injuries.