Naba Das Murder: CB Retrieves 12 Notes Written by Accused from Septic Tank

Bhubaneswar/Jharsuguda: In an unexpected turn of events in Odisha Minister Naba Das murder case, the Crime Branch last night searched a septic tank at the Jharsuguda Airport police station here as accused Gopal Das
had reportedly disposed of a handwritten letter in the latrine. During interrogation, the accused, a former ASI of police, told the investigators that he had mentioned in the letter as to why he killed the minister and later flushed it in the latrine, reports said. Subsequently, Crime Branch officers took him to the spot while workers were engaged to dig out the tank. Following search, the letter was found. However, its text had gotten erased. The recovered letter has been sent to the State Forensic Science Laboratory in Bhubaneswar for examination. Inspection of the vehicle and the Crime Spot by Scientific Officer and Ballistic Experts using FARO 3-D Scanner has led to recovery of one fired bullet which is a valuablem piece of evidence,” the Crime Branch stated. After being detained by police on the day of the murder, he was initially taken to the Jharsuguda Airport police station, where he had allegedly tried to destroy the letter. The Crime Branch has taken him on a 4-day remand after getting permission in this regard from the
Court of JMFC, Brajarajnagar. Crime Branch ADG Arun Bothra had earlier said that accused Gopal Das confessed to the crime during questioning. Gopal Das had fired at the minister with a clear intention to kill, revealed a complaint lodged by Brajarajnagar police station IIC Pradyumna Kumar Swain. The accused was deployed for traffic clearance duty of the minister’s programme. He approached the minister and opened fire from his service pistol from a very close range aiming at Naba Das with a clear intention of killing, the IIC mentioned in the complaint. Notably, the minister was allegedly shot in chest by Gopal Das at Gandhi Chhak in Brajrajnagar area of Jharsuguda district on January 29. The firing took place when the minister alighted from a car to attend an inauguration programme and his supporters were garlanding him. He was rescued in a critical condition and rushed to the Jharsuguda District Headquarters Hospital for treatment. As his condition deteriorated, the minister was then airlifted to Bhubaneswar, where he was admitted to Apollo Hospital. However, he succumbed to bullet injuries while undergoing treatment at the private hospital.

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