Berhampur: The state crime branch on Friday interrogated family members of sacked ASI Gopal Das, accused of murdering former minister Naba Kisore Das over two years ago.
The investigation team, which has been in Berhampur since Wednesday for the second phase of its probe, is examining phone records of the accused prior to the Jan 29, 2023 murder. “We have questioned individuals who were in contact with Gopal before the incident,” said a senior crime branch officer.
Additional SP (crime branch), B K Mallick, said that Das’s son, Manoj, and brother, Satya Narayan, have been questioned. “We have gathered some crucial information,” Mallick said, without elaborating further.
The case is being investigated afresh following a request from Naba’s wife, Minati Das. Investigators have also questioned the cook of a hotel in Jharsuguda owned by Das’s brother, which was shut down immediately after the murder.
Das was arrested and dismissed from service following the former minister’s murder. He is currently in custody. Earlier investigations revealed that Das’s wife, Jayanti, had claimed he was suffering from bipolar affective disorder for several years before the incident.
The crime branch team had previously interrogated Das’s family members and a doctor who had treated him before the murder. The current investigation focuses on establishing the sequence of events and possible motives.