Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, July 8:

A local court in Odisha today granted bail to a High Court lawyer who was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) four days ago for his alleged link with chit fund firm Artha Tatwa Group.

debashish panda

Khurda District and Sessions court granted bail to Debasish Panda against a bail bond of Rs 50, 000 and two sureties.

Adjudicating over the case, Judge Prakash Chandra Mohapatra granted bail to Panda after hearing arguments for over an hour.

The court laid condition that the applicant would cooperate in the investigation conducted by the CBI.

Earlier, the CBI had taken Panda on a three-day remand on Tuesday, two days after his arrest on Monday.

It may be mentioned here that High Court lawyers had resorted to cease work from July 5 on a call given by the High Court Bar Association in protest against Panda’s arrest.

The Association had requested all bar associations of the state to observe July 8 as ‘protest day’.  Bar associations of all subordinate courts had abstained from work in support of the cease work call given by the Association.

However, the Association today called off the stir following the unanimous decision at the executive body meeting.

Notably, the CBI had earlier submitted that Panda’s name had figured in the documents seized during raids at the residence of Crime Branch DSP Pramod Panda indicating his complicity in the AT scam.

It may be noted here that Panda was a former additional government advocate and former lawyer of the enforcement directorate (ED).