Berhampur: In a major development in the murder case of lawyer and BJP leader Pitabash Panda, the absconding accused, businessman Sudarshan Jena, has surrendered before the police.
According to sources, Sudarshan, known to be an associate of former MLA Bikram Panda, surrendered at the Baidyanathpur Police Station in Berhampur.
Earlier on Wednesday morning, 12 accused persons in the case were arrested and sent to jail. Later that night, police also brought Sunil Hota from Jeypore for interrogation. Hota is alleged to have provided shelter to two of the accused at his farmhouse in Jeypore and funded their expenses, as revealed by Berhampur SP Saravana Vivek M during a press briefing on Wenesday.
Both Sudarshan Jena and Sunil Hota are currently being interrogated by the police. The investigation team is now focusing on locating Kurupati Bhuyan, the main accused who allegedly shot Pitabash Panda, and Uma Bishoyi, both of whom remain at large.
Police sources said that the capture of Uma Bishoyi is crucial, as his interrogation is expected to shed light on several key aspects of the conspiracy behind the murder.
The case has drawn significant public and political attention, with multiple high-profile individuals, including former MLA and Ganjam BJD president Bikram Kumar Panda, already arrested and sent to judicial custody.
