The Odisha Police’s crime branch, investigating the murder of state minister Naba Kishore Das, on Monday reported that a local court has turned down its request to conduct a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation of the accused, Gopal Das.

In a statement, the criminal branch also mentioned that a special board of four psychiatrists had been assembled to assess the accused’s mental state, suggesting that a thorough investigation of him was necessary.

Gopal Das, the expelled assistant sub-inspector of police, is said to have had a “prolonged history of mental illness” a statement from the Odisha Police read.

In Jharsuguda, the board investigated him and performed an analysis. Later, it said that a thorough investigation of the accused is required in order to draw a conclusive conclusion regarding his mental state. According to the press statement, the crime branch had requested that Gopal Das undergo a second complete mental evaluation at NIMHANS Bangalore before the learned Judicial Magistrate First Class-1, Jharsuguda. But the request was denied.

The statement further said that the Crime Branch may next approach a “higher forum”” with the plea.

In Gandhinagar, Gujarat, the suspect had already undergone polygraph and narcoanalysis examinations.

On January 29, an Odisha minister Naba Kishore Das was shot in the chest, allegedly by Gopal Das, in Gandhi Chhak in the Jharsuguda district’s Brajrajnagar neighborhood. Hours later, he passed away in a hospital in Bhubaneswar.