New Delhi/Bhubaneswar: The Bar Council of India (BCI) has condemned the killing of senior Odisha advocate Pitabas Panda. and demanded an SIT probe, witness protection, and time-bound prosecution in the case.
BCI Chairman and senior advocate Manan Kumar Mishra issued a letter saying the apex bar body expressed its “strongest condemnation and profound anguish at the cold-blooded shooting and murder of Pitabas Panda, a duly elected member of the Odisha state bar council. This barbaric act is not merely a crime against an individual; it is a direct assault on the independence of the legal profession and the rule of law in the state.”
The letter said that communications received from bar members across India revealed that Panda was targeted by armed miscreants.
“The safety and dignity of advocates are non-negotiable. BCI demands decisive, time-bound action from the State Government to bring every perpetrator and conspirator to justice, to protect witnesses and the victim’s family, and to reassure the Bar that the State will uphold the rule of law,” the statement read.
The BCI also urged the government of Odisha to constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by a senior IPS officer unconnected with the local police station, with a written mandate to complete the probe in a time-bound manner.
“All perpetrators, conspirators, and facilitators must be apprehended without delay, custodial interrogation ensured where warranted, and recovery of weapons and digital evidence secured. Any lapses in beat intelligence, preventive action, or local station response must be examined immediately, with errant officials placed under suspension pending inquiry,” it said.
