Odisha minister murder suspect to be subjected to narco-analysis and polygraph tests in Gujarat

Previously, the accused had several other tests performed by a team at the Central Forensic Science Laboratory.

According to officials, the dismissed police officer who allegedly shot dead Odisha Health Minister Naba Kishore Das last month will be subjected to narco-analysis and polygraph tests as part of the investigation.

On February 8, a court in Odisha’s Jharsuguda district extended the accused, Gopal Das,’ police remand until February 13.

According to Mr. Gopal Das’ lawyer, Harishankar Agarwal, the Judicial Magistrate First Class court in Jharsuguda has allowed the Crime Branch (CB) investigating the case to conduct narco-analysis and polygraph tests on the dismissed policeman after the accused agreed to the proposal.

A narco-analysis test involves the intravenous administration of a drug that causes the subject to enter a stage of anaesthesia during which the person becomes less inhibited and is more likely to reveal information that would not normally be revealed in the conscious state.

A polygraph test attempts to determine whether or not the subject is lying by tracking breathing rate, blood pressure, perspiration, and heart rate while the subject is asked various questions.

According to an official, the crime branch has already left for Kolkata, from where they will fly to Gandhinagar.

Mr. Gopal Das had previously undergone several other tests conducted by a team at the Central Forensic Science Laboratory in New Delhi.

One of the tests was to determine his mental state because the accused person’s wife claimed that her husband had bipolar disorder, which causes extreme mood swings ranging from depressive lows to manic highs.

Meanwhile, Odisha Director General of Police S.K. Bansal, along with retired High Court judge Justice J.P. Das, who is supervising the investigation, visited the Gandhi Chowk area in Brajrajnagar for the first time.

“It will take some more time to complete the investigation,” Mr. Bansal said. Under the supervision of Justice JP Das, the crime branch has been investigating the case.” On February 7, the investigation team recreated the crime scene with the accused present.

“The investigation is on track,” Justice Das stated. We are awaiting the results of the psychological tests.” Mr. Gopal Das fired two rounds from his service revolver on January 29, and one bullet pierced the Minister’s chest. The same day, he died in a hospital in Bhubaneswar.