Bhubaneswar: Berhampur police on Wednesday made a breakthrough in the murder case of senior advocate and BJP leader Pitabas Panda with the arrest of former MLA and Ganjam BJD president Bikram Panda on charges of plotting a conspiracy to eliminate Pitabas Panda.
According to Berhampur Superintendent of Police Saravana Vivek M, 12 persons have been arrested so far in connection with the case. The accused include former Berhampur Mayor Siba Shankar Das alias Pintu Das, corporator Malay Bisoi, student leader Madan Dalei, two sharpshooters, a local shooter and a person who kept an eye on the advocate.
Berhampur SP has made a significant revelation in the Pitabas Panda murder case. He stated that the sharpshooter had taken an advance of 10 lakh rupees. While Chintu Pradhan was driving the vehicle, Kurupati Bhuyan fired the shots. Malay Bisoi and Madan Dalei orchestrated the entire conspiracy. Bikram Panda and Pintu Das masterminded the plot. Bikram Panda conspired through Malay Bisoi and Madan Dalei. Arrangements were made to bring 50 lakh rupees from Bikram Panda and Pintu Das. There are 38 cases registered against Pintu Das. Evidence of a criminal conspiracy has been found against Bikram Panda.
After their arrests, police produced the accused to a local court, where bail was denied and they were remanded to judicial custody for 14 days.
Earlier, Bikram Panda had been summoned to Baidyanathpur police station on Tuesday and questioned late into the night about a financial transaction believed to be tied to the case.
Notably, Pitabas Panda, a member of the Odisha State Bar Council, was gunned down on October 6 by two unidentified bike-borne assailants near his home, under Baidyanathpur police limits. He suffered chest wounds and was rushed to MKCG Medical College and Hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.
