Naba Das murder case: Odisha Crime Branch files chargesheet

Jharsuguda: Nearly four months after sensational murder of Health Minister Naba Kishore Das, Odisha Crime Branch today filed a chargesheet in the case.

The investigative agency submitted the 543-page preliminary chargesheet in Jharsuguda JMFC Court.

Sources said that a team of Crime Branch flew to Jharsuguda from Bhubaneswar to submit the chargesheet in Naba Das murder case. The chargesheet has been prepared based on the statements of 89 witnesses including IO Ramesh Dora, DSP of Crime Branch and reports of scientific team against dismissed ASI accused Gopal Krushna Das.

However, no clarity in this regard has been made by the Crime Branch. The agency is conducting the probe in the case registered under sections 302/307 of IPC and 27(1) Arms act.

On January 29, Naba Das was assassinated while he was stepping out of his car to attend a public meeting at Brajarajnagar in Jharsuguda.

According to reports, Gopal Das, who was assigned for clearing traffic at Gandhi Chowk in Brajarajnagar area during a programme to be attended by Naba Das, fired at the minister with his service gun from a short distance.

The minister was declared dead at Apollo Hospital in Bhubaneswar later in the evening.

Police arrested Gopal Das and the case was handed over to Crime Branch to investigate the motive behind the murder.