Ex-MLA Bikram Panda Quizzed For 4 Hrs Over Witness Threat
Manoj Kanta Dash,Odishabarta
Bikram Panda appeared before the police in connection with allegations that he had threatened a witness over the phone while he was lodged in jail.
Brahmapur: Police continued their investigation into the much-discussed murder of lawyer Pitabas Panda in Brahmapur, with Bikram Panda appearing before the Gosani Nuagaon Police Station on Tuesday.
Bikram Panda appeared before the police in connection with allegations that he had threatened a witness over the phone while he was lodged in jail.
“As part of the investigation into the case, he was interrogated,” police said.
Panda, who had been lodged in the jail for around 10 months in connection with the murder case, was released on bail on September 1.
“Police questioned me based on the allegation made by a person. I told the truth while answering all the questions,” Panda told reporters after the interrogation.
Earlier, police had questioned jail doctor Susant Kumar Panigrahi in connection with the case. The state government suspended Panigrahi on September 20 over his alleged role in facilitating the use of a mobile phone by a murder accused inside the jail.
According to police, Panda and his associate Madan Dalai, who is also lodged in the jail in connection with the Pitabash murder case, allegedly threatened Mangaraj on August 28 using the mobile phone of the jail doctor.
Police examined CCTV footage from the doctor’s chamber and collected technical evidence before registering a case against Panda, Dalai and Panigrahi, officials said.
According to the complaint, Bikram allegedly threatened witness Lalit Mangaraj over the phone on August 28 while he was in jail.
After Bikram Panda was granted bail by the High Court on September 1, Lalit Mangaraj lodged a complaint at the police station on the same day. Based on the complaint, police registered a case against Bikram Panda
Police subsequently issued a notice directing him to appear for questioning in connection with the alleged threat.
His appearance at the Gosani Nuagaon Police Station is part of the ongoing investigation into the complaint. Police are expected to question him regarding the alleged phone threat and other aspects of the case.
