Bhubaneswar: A legal team of 44 lawyers will defend Berhampur and Ganjam BJD president Bikram Panda in the brutal murder of senior advocate and BJP leader Pitabas Panda.
According to sources, the ex-MLA’s legal team will also represent his associates, corporator Malay Bishoi and Madan Dalai, in court. The three BJD leaders are currently in jail custody after being denied bail by the SDJM court here. Vakalatnamas have been submitted and the lawyers are planning to file for bail at the district court on Friday, the sources added.
Meanwhile, Berhampur jail authorities have sought the court’s permission to transfer ex-mayor of Berhampur Siba Shankar Dash alias Pintu, who along with Bikaram Panda are believed to be the masterminds behind Pitabas Panda’s murder, to a different jail due to security concerns. He is expected to be moved to Kandhamal jail.
In another development, Sudarshan Jena, a close associate of Bikram Panda, who presented himself before the local police on Thursday was let off after questioning. He was reportedly grilled about the financial transactions of the former MLA.
THE ARRESTS
So far, 13 people have been arrested in connection with the high-profile case. While 12, including the three BJD leaders, were forwarded to court on Wednesday, Sunil Hota, a businessman from Jeypore in Koraput district, was arrested on Thursday for allegedly harbouring one of the assailant, Kurupati Bhuyan who is still at large along with Uma Bisoi, an anti-social engaged by the former MLA to arrange for sharp shooters to execute the murder.
Pitabas Panda was gunned down by two assailants – – Chintu Pradhan (25) of Digapahandi and Kurupati Bhuyan – near his residence at Baikuntha Nagar here on October 6.
The others arrested include Chintu, the sharp shooters from Bihar who were initially hired for the murder, Bipin Swain and Simanchal Nayak, who did the recce and showed the escape route to the shooters from Bihar and Jogendra Raut, who took care of the logistics.
The entire murder plot involved a financial deal of Rs 50 lakh with police attributing it to personal, political and business enmity.
Interestingly, Bikram Panda had visited Pitabas Panda’s residence after he was shot dead by two bike-borne assailants, to console the bereaved family. He had also demanded the strictest punishment for the killers of his friend since their days in Youth Congress.