Justice JP Das’ appointment to supervise probe into Naba Das murder case ‘illegal’

Bhubaneswar: The appointment of retired High Court judge Justice JP Das for monitoring investigation into Health Minister Naba Kishore Das is completely illegal, claimed BJP spokesperson Pitambar Acharya.

Addressing a press conference here today, the senior advocate of Orissa High Court asked the government to show the copy of judicial order on the appointment of a retired judge to supervise the ongoing investigation by the state crime branch.

Lambasting the BJD government led by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Acharya said that the government ordered the crime branch probe for investigation into Naba Das murder case. But, it did not trust its own agency and approached the High Court to nominate a sitting or retired judge to monitor the investigation.

“Where is the judicial order on appointment of the retired judge? On the basis of which judicial proceeding/writ petition/application, You are claiming that one retired judge is monitoring the investigation in the case? Show me the High Court order and you should make the appointment order public,” he said adding, “This is neither a judicial proceeding nor a consultation under a judicial Commission of Inquiry Act.”

He warned the government not to include the constitutional body in its misdeed. “You should uphold the dignity of the institution,” he said.

“I am questioning, why should you use the name of High Court? Justice JP Das has not been judicially appointed to supervise the statutorily conducted police investigation,” he alleged.

Recalling Kunduli rape and suicide case, he said that the state government had made such kind of request to the High Court earlier. But the then Chief Justice Dinesh Saran had rejected the plea clarifying that the court has no power to do it.

“In fact, the government is trying to save and release the culprit in the case. Which court will accept the investigation report monitored by the retired judge? The entire investigation process would be vitiated if any outside power make statement or intervene in the probe,” he said.

“The police arrested the killer and claimed ‘personal grudge’ his motive behind the murder. During the investigation, it is being heard that the culprit was mentally disturbed and he had been planning in past four months to eliminate the minister. When he got opportunity, he shot him dead. If Gopal Das is the culprit, had he made conspiracy alone to kill the minister? A police personnel is killing your cabinet colleague with his service revolver. How could you take the incident so lightly? Instead of digging deep, you are campaigning for unannounced election. The history never forgives such administration,” he said.

Demanding CBI probe in the case, he said, “People have trust on Chief Minister in past 25 years, but you have failed to protect your cabinet colleague. How could people of Odisha believe you anymore? The opposition is questioning your credibility. You should hand over the probe to a third party like CBI to prove your credibility.”