Odisha minister murder: LoP seeks central security for accused, calls for CBI probe

Citing two recent cases in Odisha where the prime accused were found dead under mysterious circumstances, senior BJP leader Jaynarayan Mishra on Thursday expressed concern over the safety of now-dismissed police officer Gopal Das, arrested for the murder of state minister Naba Das. Seeking security by central forces for Gopal Das, who shot the minister four days ago leading to his death, Mishra also warned that the state government and the police force will be held responsible if something untoward happens to the accused.We saw what happened to the prime accused in the Kalahandi teacher kidnap-murder case.


PTI | Bhubaneswar | Updated: 02-02-2023 20:44 IST | Created: 02-02-2023 20:44 IST
Odisha minister murder: LoP seeks central security for accused, calls for CBI probe
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Citing two recent cases in Odisha where the prime accused were found dead under mysterious circumstances, senior BJP leader Jaynarayan Mishra on Thursday expressed concern over the safety of now-dismissed police officer Gopal Das, arrested for the murder of state minister Naba Das. Seeking security by central forces for Gopal Das, who shot the minister four days ago leading to his death, Mishra also warned that the state government and the police force "will be held responsible if something untoward happens to the accused".

''We saw what happened to the prime accused in the Kalahandi teacher kidnap-murder case. Govind Sahu mysteriously died in jail. The main accused in the Mahanga double-murder case also met with a similar fate. I fear something might also happen to Gopal Das,'' the leader of opposition in the Odisha Assembly stated.

He also called for a CBI probe into the case.

''We have no faith in the Odisha Police. Adequate central forces should be provided for security of Gopal Das. The entire state is shocked by the murder. The state government should recommend a CBI probe,'' Mishra told reporters.

The BJP leader also noted that one of the crime branch officers probing the murder is also facing charges of graft.

''A deputy superintendent of police, who is heading a crime branch team that is looking into Naba Das murder case, is an accused in a false certificate-related case. His role is being investigated.

''Besides that, an inspector in-charge, who is also part of a crime branch team, is embroiled in a fake encounter case. Apart from that, there is a inspector in-charge, who failed to prevent two custodial deaths in Puri and Jagatsinghpur,'' Mishra explained.

Meanwhile, a police officer said that the crime branch has retrieved 12 handwritten notes, ''which was flushed down the toilet by Gopal Das''.

According to the officer, Gopal Das, following his capture, was first taken to Jharsuguda Airport police station, where he had allegedly tried to dispose of the notes.

''The accused, during interrogation, claimed that he had a note with him stating the motive behind the murder, which he later flushed down the toilet. That note has been retrieved from a septic tank and sent to forensics and handwriting experts for reconstruction and examination,'' the officer said.

The elder brother of the accused was also interrogated during the day, the officer added.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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