Unrelenting BJP dares Odisha govt to name handler of minister’s murder case

By Sukanta Mohanty

BHUBANESWAR, FEB. 8: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) seems to be unrelenting from its attack on the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in Odisha over the issue of murder of state health minister Naba Kishore Das.

On Wednesday, BJP Leader of the Opposition in Odisha Legislative Assembly and senior BJP leader Jayanarayan Mishra brought serious allegations against the state police and alleged that the latter did not appear to bring to the light the involvement of bigwigs suspected to have links with the murder.

“The police has arrested Gopal Das, an Assistant Sub-Inspector rank cop, in connection with the brutal murder of Naba Kishore Das. The accused was just the shooter who executed the murder plot by firing gunshots at him. But it (police) is not searching for the handler. Many bigwigs are behind the murder. Odisha police is doing a drama in the name of investigation. I dare the Odisha government to get the case investigated by an independent agency and expose the bigwigs who masterminded the crime,” said Mishra.

He continued, “The Crime Branch of Odisha police recreated the crime scene on Tuesday. This is just a time pass and an attempt to mislead people. The investigation is heading nowhere,” he added.

There was, however, no reaction from the side of BJD.

On Wednesday, Odisha Director General of Police (DGP) Sunil Bansal, visited the Jharsuguda and went to the crime spot at Gandhi Chhak in Brajarajnagar. He was accompanied by director (Intelligence) Sanjeeb Panda and Northern Range IG Deepak Kumar.

“I along with the Intelligence Director, ADG (Law and Order) visited Jharsuguda. The Crime Branch investigation under the supervision of Justice JP Das is underway. We have appealed to the court to take accused Gopal Das on further remand. The investigation will take time,” Bansal said.

Earlier, the Opposition had criticised the DGP for keeping mum over the brutal killing of Das.

On Tuesday, the Crime Branch had recreated the crime scene with the prime accused Gopal Das.

The accused was taken to Gandhi Chhak in Brajarajnagar where he had shot the health minister dead from a point-blank range on January 29.

Holding a demo gun in one hand with his face covered with a towel, Gopal enacted the entire episode on the spot.