Naba Das murder: Court rejects crime branch plea seeking accused’s mental evaluation

Jharsuguda (Odisha) [India], March 4 (ANI): Jharsuguda Additional Sessions Court Judge on Friday rejected the Odisha crime branch’s petition which was seeking to re-examine the mental health assessment of Gopal Das in NIMHANS Bangalore.
Gopal Das is the prime accused in the murder of former Odisha health minister Naba Das. Crime Branch had filed the review petition seeking permission for a further comprehensive psychological, psychometrical and mental evaluation of Gopal Das.

The petition was earlier rejected by the Jharsuguda JMFC-1 court on February 19. After that, the crime branch filed a revision petition before the district judge’s court. The district judge transferred the same to ADJ court.
Last month the Odisha high court recorded the statement of prime accused Gopal Das. The accused was produced before the court where his statement was recorded under Section 164 of CrPC.

Odisha high court had also quashed a Public interest Litigation which was seeking a CBI probe in the Naba das murder case.
Earlier in the Odisha state assembly during the zero-hour session Congress legislator Tara Prasad Bahinipathi stated that the crime branch is clueless about the matter.

The Congress MLA from the Jeypore constituency Tara Prasad Bahinipati levelled serious allegations by terming Naba Das’s killing as a ‘planned murder.’ He stated that people are not happy with the ongoing investigation by the state crime branch and they are more worried about his mental health.

Naba Das was shot at by an Odisha Police ASI Gopal Das from point-blank range in Brajrajnagar of Jharsuguda district and succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment in the state’s capital. Gopal Das was arrested on January 30 by Odisha Police.

Former Health minister Naba Das was a three-time MLA from the Jharsuguda constituency in Odisha.