BERHAMPUR: The Crime Branch has intensified efforts to determine if the murder of former minister and senior BJD leader Naba Kishore Das was part of a larger conspiracy.
In the last two days, a special team led by the additional SP of CB Bijay Kumar Mallick examined call records of prime accused ASI Gopal Das of Berhampur and interrogated several persons who spoke to him over phone before the murder. They were called to the Baidyanathpur police station in Berhampur for questioning.
On Thursday, Gopal’s elder brother Satya Das, who ran a hotel near the place of killing, was quizzed by the CB team. Besides, a cook who worked in the hotel, Gopal’s son and nephew were also grilled.
On Friday, the team questioned four staff of OSRTC buses plying from Berhampur to Jharsuguda through whom medicines were sent to Gopal. The accused also used to send money to his family through these OSRTC staff. Three more OSRTC employees will be questioned by the CB.
A CB official said Gopal’s family members, relatives and friends were questioned about his mental condition. Gopal talked to several persons before committing the crime. “These persons were quizzed to ascertain the nature of these communications and whether they have any link with the murder,” he said.
Besides, investigation is underway to ascertain the motive behind the murder and if Gopal committed the crime alone or was influenced or assisted by others, the official added.
Mallick said records of the earlier probe would be matched with the findings of the current investigation. “We will also investigate the crime scene again and question the people residing near the hotel operated by Satya. The CB would stay in Berhampur for another couple of days for the probe,” the ASP added.
The BJD leader was shot dead by Gopal in broad daylight at Brajarajnagar in Jharsuguda district in January 2023.