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Odisha govt to seek FBI help in health minister murder case: CM
The Odisha government has decided to seek the help of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of the United States of America for its expertise in behavioural analysis
Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday said the state government has decided to seek the help of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of the United States of America for its expertise in behavioural analysis of main accused Gopa Das in the murder case of state health minister Naba Kishore Das.
Naba Kishore Das was shot dead by an assistant sub-inspector (ASI) of police in Jharsuguda district on January 29.
As opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress continued to raise slogans against the government in the Assembly for the second day on Wednesday rushing to the Speaker’s podium and demanding justice for the deceased minister, the chief minister came to the Assembly to announce about the decision of seeking the help of FBI.
“We have requested the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India to facilitate an evaluation of the behaviour of the accused by the Behavioral Support Unit (BSU) of the FBI of the United States of America. I want to reassure the house that no stone will be left unturned in ensuring a full, fair and open investigation in the case with the assistance of the best forensic experts in India and abroad,” Patnaik said.
The move of the Odisha government to seek the help of FBI came days after a team from the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL), New Delhi, conducted a forensic psychological assessment and layered voice analysis test of the accused Gopal Das at Jharsuguda this month. Subsequently, he was taken to Gandhinagar where he was subjected to Narco-analysis and polygraph test at the Gujarat State Forensic Science Laboratory. A three-member team of psychiatrists from Bengaluru have already examined Gopal to get an idea of his mental health issues.
The Behavioural Analytical Unit (BAU) is a highly selective, elite unit within the FBI who offer research and analysis of criminal behaviour to assist law enforcement organizations. The agents of BAU were featured in the Hollywood movie The Silence of the Lambs, HBO’s The Wire and Mindhunter of Netflix Original.
The chief minister said that he was deeply shocked that the accused is a policeman but said it should not be used to defame the entire force. He said he was shocked the manner in which the case was being politicised by the Opposition parties, especially the state BJP.
The chief minister rejected leader of Opposition Jaynarayan Mishra’s allegation that IAS officer VK Pandian and BJD general secretary (organisation) Pranab Das were involved in the murder.
BJP member of Parliament (MP) Suresh Pujari said his party did not want politicisation of the case, rather it wants the actual killer to be traced. “It is evident from the CID probe that the investigation has completely gone off the track,” he said.
