In a major development surrounding the high-profile Pitabasa Panda murder case, former Brahmapur MLA Bikram Panda and former jail doctor Dr Sushant Kumar Panigrahi appeared before the Gosaninuagaon Police on Tuesday following a fresh notice. Both underwent an intensive two-hour face-to-face interrogation conducted by the Brahmapur Town SDPO and the IIC.
The investigation stems from allegations that Bikram Panda and his associate Madan Dalai, while in judicial custody, used Dr. Panigrahi’s mobile phone from inside the jail to intimidate a key witness, advocate Lalit Mohan Mangaraj. Mangaraj had lodged a formal complaint alleging he was threatened on August 28 to prevent him from testifying in court against the accused. Following his complaint, police registered Case No. 355/26.
As per court directives, Tuesday was scheduled for collecting spectrography voice samples to cross-verify recorded phone conversations. However, former MLA Bikram Panda declined to provide his voice sample, citing a fracture in his finger. In contrast, Dr. Panigrahi agreed to provide his spectrography sample to the police.
During earlier interrogations, Dr. Panigrahi reportedly admitted to police that Bikram Panda and Madan Dalai had used his mobile phone inside the prison complex. Police have already seized the doctor’s phone, along with CCTV footage and call detail records (CDR) from the jail premises. The entire interrogation process on Tuesday was video-recorded by the police.
Bikram Panda has been directed to appear before the police again on November 16 for further questioning.
Background of the Case: State Bar Council member and BJP leader Pitabasa Panda was shot dead at close range near his residence on the night of October 6, 2025. Baidyanathpur Police subsequently arrested 16 persons, including former MLA Bikram Panda. Panda was released on conditional bail by the Orissa High Court on September 1.
