Berhampur: In a major development in advocate Pitabas Panda murder case in Odisha, police on Wednesday took six accused, including notorious sharpshooter Kurupati Bhuyan and co-conspirator Uma Bisoi, on remand for two days for further interrogation.
As per sources, a local court granted permission to the Berhampur Police to take six prime accused on remand for further questioning as part of the probe. The development follows the arrest of Bhuyan, who was accused absconding.
Police have so far arrested 16 people in connection with the sensational murder case. Those arrested include former BJD MLA Bikram Panda, who was taken into custody earlier for his alleged role in hatching conspiracy, financing and facilitating the crime.
The arrest of Bhuyan, a notorious contract killer, is being viewed as a major breakthrough. It is believed that Bhuyan was the main hitman hired to execute the murder as part of a well-planned and coordinated conspiracy.
It is alleged that Uma Bisoi coordinated between the financiers and the shooters. Investigation indicated that Bisoi managed the financial transactions, estimated at around Rs 50 lakh, that funded the killing.
As part of the investigation, police are likely to take all six accused, including Bhuyan and Bisoi, to the crime scene to reconstruct the sequence of events. It is likely to help police verify the statements made by the accused and gather corroborative evidence.
Officials said the investigators are examining the communication records, bank transactions, and travel details of the suspects to map the entire chain of planning and execution.