Cuttack: A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed Monday by the Bharatiya Vikash Parishad in the Orissa High Court seeking investigation by the CBI into the alleged murder of former Health Minister Naba Kishore Das. The former minister was allegedly shot by former ASI of police, Gopal Das at Gandhi Chhak in Brajrajnagar area of Jharsuguda district January 29. The firing took place when Naba Das alighted from a car to attend an inauguration programme and his supporters were garlanding him. Naba later succumbed to his injuries at a private hospital in Bhubaneswar.
The petitioner mentioned in the petition that the ongoing Crime Branch probe is not trustable. Odisha Chief Secretary, Odisha Home Department Secretary, DGP, CBI and the Crime Branch have been made parties in the case. The Crime Branch is currently investigating the case, under the monitoring of Justice JP Das, a retired judge of the Orissa High Court.
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Naba Das, after he was shot, was rushed to the Jharsuguda district headquarters hospital for treatment. As his condition deteriorated, the minister was then airlifted to Bhubaneswar. However, doctors could not save him.
Meanwhile the Congress has demanded the resignation of Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik over the incident. With police still clueless behind the motive which led to the murder, the Congress stepped up the attack on Patnaik. “The CM should resign by taking moral responsibility or at least give up the Home portfolio, leader of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) Narasingh Mishra said Sunday.