Cuttack: Taking serious note of the PIL seeking CBI probe into the murder case of former Minister Naba Kishore Das, the Orissa High Court has directed the state government to provide details regarding the status of the criminal case and the ongoing investigation into the shooting of Naba Kishore Das.
The government has been instructed to submit the status report in writing. The next hearing in the case has been scheduled for February 19.
A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Arindam Sinha and Justice Mruganka Shekhar Sahoo issued the directive while hearing a PIL filed by social activist Pinakapani Mohanty. The petitioner highlighted the gravity of the case, pointing out that a sitting Cabinet Minister was shot dead in broad daylight in Odisha. Despite the Crime Branch investigation, the motive and circumstances behind Das’s murder remain unclear. The petitioner urged the court to order a CBI probe to uncover the truth.
The petitioner has also raised concerns about alleged financial irregularities involving the BJD during the 2014 elections, including suspicious deposits of crores of rupees into the party’s account. The petitioner sought a CBI investigation into these allegations as well as the roles of BJD leaders in various chit fund scams.
Additionally, the petitioner requested a CBI inquiry into the reports filed by a former IPS officer in the Crime Branch regarding the rape and murders of Pari, Mamita Meher, and Naba Kishore Das. The petitioner expressed doubts about the credibility of these reports and emphasized the need for a thorough investigation.
The court has made the Central and State Governments, the Director General of Police (DGP), the CBI, the Enforcement Directorate, and other relevant parties respondents in the case.
Advocate Satyajit Mohanty is representing the petitioner. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for February 19.
