A court in Malkangiri, Odisha, has issued a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against IAS officer Manish Agarwal for failing to appear in connection with the 2019 mysterious death of his personal assistant, Deba Narayan Panda.
The Malkangiri Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate (SDJM) court issued the warrant while hearing the case, emphasizing that an accused cannot claim exemption from personal attendance as a right. The court ruled that Agarwal must first appear physically before seeking any exemption.
Panda, who served as PA to the then Malkangiri collector, went missing on December 27, 2019, and was found dead in Satiguda Dam the next day. His wife, Banja Panda, filed a complaint alleging murder, leading to an investigation.
Agarwal, currently serving as Additional Secretary in the Planning and Convergence Department, has been directed to appear by February 28, when the case will be reviewed again.
Odisha Court Issues Non-Bailable Warrant Against IAS Officer in Aide’s Mysterious Death Case
