Former Berhampur BJD,MLA bail Petition getting delayed(!)
It cantbe ruled outThe arrests have escalated into a political controversy, with BJD leaders alleging that former MLA Bikram Panda was falsely implicated in the murder case.
ManojKanta,Das,Odishabarta
BERHAMPUR Seventeen days after senior BJP leader and politican Pitabas Panda police on charged two prominent BJD leaders – former MLA of Berhampur Bikram Panda and ex-mayor Siba Shankar Dash – with murder, claiming it to be a killing over years of simmering political, financial and personal conflicts.,( subjuridice)
A total of 12 people were arrested for the sensational October 6 murder in Berhampur, close to the BJP leader’s house. All the accused were produced before a local court which remanded them to judicial custody for 14 days. As police made the revelations, security was beefed up across Berhampur.
Currently, Bikram serves as BJD’s Ganjam district president. Another accused, Malaya Kumar Bisoyi is a sitting BJD corporator of Berhampur Municipal Corporation (BeMC).
Addressing mediapersons, Berhampur SP Saravana Vivek M said that both Bikram and Siba Shankar conspired together to eliminate Pitabasa over years of hostility. Interestingly, Pitabasa and Bikram happened to be close friends since college days.
The other accused in the case included Madan Mohan Dalei, Jogendra Raut, Kalucharan Bhuyan, Simanchala Naik, Rajendra Kumar Sahu, Bipin Swain, Chintu Pradhan along with Sishupal Kumar
who gunned down Pitabasa were promised Rs 50 lakh for the contract. Kurupatti continues to be at large.
Sarvana claimed that Bikram and Pitabasa had a rift when the former MLA switched from Congress to BJD in 2018 but the BJP leader did not follow him. Since then, Bikram felt Pitabasa targeted him time and again, he added.
Their enmity escalated over the years and Bikram suffered financial losses in many of his businesses which he believed were caused by the senior lawyer, he added.
The bail petition of former Berhampur MLA Bikram Panda is facing delays in the Orissa High Court due to pending procedural formalities, including the examination of the massive 30,000-page chargesheet filed by the police. [1, 2]
Background of the Case
Bikram Panda, along with former Berhampur Mayor Shiva Shankar Das (alias Pintu Das) and 14 others, was arrested in connection with the murder of BJP leader and senior advocate Pitabas Panda. The advocate was shot by bike-borne miscreants near his residence in Baikuntha Nagar on the night of October 6, 2025.
Chronology of the Bail Proceedings
December 15, 2025: The Additional District & Sessions Judge (ADJ)-III court in Berhampur formally rejected the bail petitions of the former MLA and four others.
December 25, 2025: Following the lower court’s refusal, Bikram Panda’slegal team moved the Orissa High Court to challenge the order.
February 25, 2026: The High Court deferred the bail hearing in the high-profile case, citing that the investigation details are under close review.
Reasons for the Delay
The bail plea proceedings have been continuously prolonged due to a combination of factors:
Massive Chargesheet: The Berhampur Police submitted a sprawling 30,000-page chargesheet, requiring thorough scrutiny by the defense, prosecution, and the judiciary.
Hospitalization: The legal process faced brief logistical bottlenecks when the former MLA had to be moved out of the Berhampur jail and admitted to MKCG Medical College and Hospital for health complications in February.
Co-Accused Status: The complexity of the conspiracy, which involves multiple shooters and absconding individuals, requires the police to ensure no evidence or witnesses can be tampered with.
