Odisha Police arrest 12 persons in murder case of State Bar Council member Pitabas Panda

Odisha Police have cracked the sensational murder case of State Bar Council member Pitabas Panda with the arrest of 12 persons, including Biju Janata Dal leader and former Berhampur MLA Bikram Panda, and former mayor of Berhampur Municipal Corporation Siba Shankar Das.

Police have also arrested a sitting BJD corporator, Malay Bisoi, for his alleged active involvement in the crime. All the arrested persons have been forwarded to court.

“Both Bikram Panda and Das were nursing personal and professional enmity with the deceased. They conspired to eliminate him and hired contract killers through their close associates. They believed that the lawyer had become a stumbling block in their political growth,” said Berhampur Superintendent of Police Saravana Vivek M. while addressing a press conference on Wednesday (October 22, 2025).

Mr. Saravana added that former MLA Panda had convinced Das that they could secure the disqualification of the current Berhampur MLA through an election petition. “After the disqualification, Panda was under the impression that he would become the MLA and help Das return to the mayor’s post,” the SP said.

Mr. Saravana said, “former mayor Das had arranged for an election petition to be filed by a daily wager known to him, while all recurring legal expenses were borne by Panda.”

Pitabas Panda, also a BJP leader, was shot dead at point-blank range by hired gunmen on the night of October 6. According to the SP, the lawyer had secured the highest number of votes in the State Bar Council election but was unable to hold any significant position thereafter. The deceased reportedly believed that former MLA Panda was responsible for his failure to assume any office. The lawyer had publicly threatened to destroy political career of Panda.

Elaborating on the murder plot, the Berhampur SP said the conspirators had made two earlier attempts on Panda’s life in September and October. “Two criminals from Bihar were initially hired to carry out the killing and had conducted reconnaissance of Panda’s movements. However, the plan was aborted in September due to a medical emergency involving one of them. Subsequently, another team of assassins was engaged,” Mr. Saravana said.

The hired killers were promised ₹50 lakh for executing the murder, the SP added. Three key accused, including Kurupati Bhuyan, who fired bullet, were still at large.

Reacting to the arrest of Bikram Panda, the BJD said the former MLA had been made a “sacrificial lamb” and had no involvement in the crime.

“The police conducted a shoddy investigation under the direction of the BJP government and fabricated the entire murder theory to target the BJD leader. State Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena was actually involved in the crime, but the government sought to shield him as his arrest would have brought disrepute to the administration, especially at a time when the BJP sensed it was losing the Nuapada bypoll,” alleged senior BJD leader Pramila Mallick.

Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said it was unfortunate that the BJD was trying to shield criminals even after the police had conducted a foolproof investigation and revealed who hired the killers, supplied the murder weapon, and provided them shelter.

The murder had triggered outrage across the country. Both the Bar Council of India and the Odisha State Bar Council had condemned the killing and demanded immediate arrest of persons involved in the crime.