Berhampur: Former Odisha MLA Bikram Panda, the prime accused in the sensational Pitabas Panda murder case, has once again found himself at the centre of a fresh controversy — this time over food served to him at MKCG Medical College and Hospital.
Admitted to the hospital while suffering from severe intestinal pain and piles, Bikram Panda’s health condition has triggered sharp allegations from his defence counsel, Advocate Dipak Patnaik, who has accused authorities of providing “spice-laden jail food” to the ailing accused even during his hospitalisation.
According to Advocate Patnaik, the food supplied to Panda in the hospital is reportedly sourced from jail authorities and allegedly contains spices that may aggravate his medical condition.
“A piles patient must be provided with proper medical care and a regulated diet,” Dipak said after meeting his client at around 10.30 am on Friday during hospital visiting hours. He further maintained that the food should strictly comply with the jail diet manual and, more importantly, with the dietary advice prescribed by attending doctors.
Bikram Panda, as per his counsel, has complained of severe intestinal pain, raising concerns that inappropriate food could further deteriorate his condition. During hospital rounds, a doctor reportedly confirmed that the food being served to Panda was supplied by jail authorities.
In a significant legal move, the defence has also invoked guidelines of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), stating that at least one family member should be permitted to accompany an undertrial during hospitalisation.
The lawyer Patnaik informed that a modified petition has been filed before the court seeking permission for a family member to stay with Bikram Panda at MKCG Medical College and Hospital.
As the legal battle intensifies, the case now stands at a curious crossroads — where questions of medical care, human rights intersect in a courtroom drama that continues to grip Berhampur.
