BHUBANESWAR: The possibility of reopening the murder case of former BJD Minister Naba Das became brighter on Thursday with the Odisha government advising former MLA and BJD leader Dipali Das to write to the Chief Minister requesting a CBI probe into the case.
Dipali was asked by Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan to lodge a formal complaint if she was keen on the reopening of the murder case of her father– former minister Naba Kishore Das– on January 29, 2023.
Dipali had, through the media, urged the Mohan Charan Majhi government to clarify the state government’s position on a CBI probe into her father’s murder by a policeman in Jharsuguda.
Harichandan said expressing concerns in the media is not a formal complaint.
“Instead, she should submit a written petition to ensure a proper course of action. If she (Dipali) and her family have any objection to the investigation conducted by the previous government, they should come forward and write to the government. The CM will then consider the matter,” Harichandan said.
Senior BJP MLA and former leader of the opposition, Jaynarayan Mishra, said he has been demanding a CBI probe since the day of Das’s murder.
“However, Das’ family members then remained silent and did not say a word on the crime branch investigation. The BJP government will certainly help the family if they make a formal complaint,” Mishra said.
Senior Congress leader and former legislator Santosh Singh Saluja also said he and his party had earlier demanded either a CBI investigation or a judicial probe into Das’ murder.
However, neither the then government nor Das’ family supported the Congress’s demand, he claimed.
Dipali in her fresh appeal said that during the last Assembly session, two BJP legislators raised the issue and a section of the media and social media are questioning why she is not demanding a CBI probe.
“I appeal to the CM to meet our family, discuss the matter and then take further action,” Dipali told a group of television reporters.
Asked whether the family demands a CBI probe into the murder case, Dipali said, “Does the government need a letter from us for this?.”
