Jharsuguda: Additional District & Sessions Court (ADJ) on Thursday rejected the Discharge Petition filed by the Defense counsel of accused Gopal Das, Advocate Naresh Naik. Gopal Das was produced before the Additional District & Sessions Judge court, in connection with the murder of former Health Minister Naba Kishore Das.
On Thursday, accused Gopal Das was produced in the ADJ court amid tight security.
Defense Counsel Advocate Naresh Naik said, “Earlier I had filed a discharge petition, whose hearing was done on Thursday. The Judge heard extensively from both the Defense as well as prosecution in the first half and the court reversed its order till the second half. However, in the second half, the Court ordered for rejection of the discharge petition under 227 Cr.P.C. and framed the charges against the accused Gopal Das as per the chargesheet filed by the Crime Branch CIB. During the framing of charges, Gopal Das had not pleaded guilty and expressed to fight back the case through his advocate. The next date for hearing of witness for evidence is fixed on 5th October 2023 by the court.”
Former Odisha Health Minister Naba Kishore Das was shot by ASI Gopal Das at Gandhi Chowk in the Brajrajnagar area of Jharsuguda district on January 29. The Accused ASI Gopal Das had fired when the minister was about to come out of the car to attend an inauguration program. However, Das succumbed to bullet injuries while undergoing treatment at the private hospital. In this regard, the Crime Branch submitted the 544-page preliminary chargesheet to Jharsuguda JMFC Court on May 26.
