Kamal Ghorui
Berhampur: Former Berhampur MLA and BJD’s Ganjm unit president Bikram Kumar Panda, who is in judicial custody in connection with the murder of senior advocate and BJP member Pitabash Panda, said on Sunday that he was innocent and was falsely implicated in the case to defame him and his party.Panda, who was lodged in the circle jail here after his arrest on Nov 6 last year, was taken to MKCG Medical College and Hospital here on Sunday due to high blood pressure and suffered abdominal pain. “He was provided treatment in the jail before being referred to MKCG,” said D N Barik, senior superintendent, Berhampur circle jail.“It is an attempt to tarnish the image of my party. All this is being done only for political motives,” Panda told the media while he was being taken for treatment amid tight security. Panda said he had complete faith in the judiciary and is confident of getting justice.Two bike-borne miscreants had shot dead Pitabash near his residence at Baikuntha Nagar here on Oct 6 last year.Police have arrested 16 people, including Panda, former BeMC mayor Siva Shankar Das and the alleged shooters. While 15 of the accused, including Panda are lodged in the circle jail here, Das was shifted to the circle jail in Kandhamal district’s Phulbani on Oct 31, 2025, for security purposes.“Panda has moved the Orissa high court and his bail application is pending,” said his advocate Deepak Patnaik.Saroj Sabat, BJP’s Ganjam district president said, “the guilty will be punished in the court of law”, and rejected allegations that Panda’s arrest was politically motivated.
