Naba Das murder case: Gopal is shooter but who is handler, asks BJP

Even as 11 days have passed since the sensational murder of Minister Naba Das, the Crime Branch which is probing the case, is yet to find out the exact motive behind the gruesome killing. However, the Opposition BJP and Congress seem to be in no mood to refrain from targeting the ruling BJD and the probing agency.

Adding fuel to the ongoing slugfest, Leader of Opposition (LoP) and senior BJP leader Jayanarayan Mishra, on Wednesday, brought serious allegations against police and alleged involvement of many bigwigs in the murder of Das.

"Gopal Das is just the shooter, but police are not searching for the handler. Many bigwigs are behind the murder. Odisha police is doing drama in the name of investigation," said Mishra.

“Crime Branch recreated the crime scene yesterday. This is just a time pass and an attempt to mislead people. The investigation is heading nowhere,” he added.

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

“I along with Intelligence Director, ADG (Law and Order) visited Jharsuguda. 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. 

It is worthwhile to mention here that, Opposition had criticised the DGP for keeping mum over the brutal killing of Das.

Notably, the Crime Branch on Tuesday recreated the crime scene with the prime accused and sacked ASI Gopal Das in Jharsuguda. A CB team along with the local police took Gopal to Gandhi Chhak in Brajarajnagar today where he had shot Health Minister Naba Das 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.

(Reported by Harihar Chand, OTV)