Pitabas Panda murder: Accused Sudarsan Jena surrenders before police in Berhampur

Berhampur: Sudarsan Jena, one of the accused in the lawyer Pitabas Panda murder case, today surrendered at the Baidyanathpur Police Station in Berhampur.

He was among the three accused who were absconding. Sudarsan Jena is an associate of former Berhampur MLA and BJD's Ganjam district president Bikram Panda, who is also an accused in the case.

Police had yesterday arrested 12 people, including Panda, in connection with the murder case.

The murder of senior lawyer Pitabas Panda has been traced to a web of political rivalry, personal enmity, and a meticulously executed conspiracy involving multiple layers of planning and several accused from within and outside Odisha, according to Berhampur Police.

Key Accused

So far, 12 accused persons, including Bikram Panda, Pintu Das, and key aides, have been arrested under various sections of the BNS, 2023, and the Arms Act. Police said further investigation is underway to identify and nab other individuals involved in the conspiracy.

Police said the murder was the result of a conspiracy hatched by former Berhampur mayor Siba Shankar Das, alias Pintu Das, and politician Bikram Panda.

Pintu Das, who has 38 criminal cases against him, had long-standing enmity with Pitabas Panda. In 2013, Panda had represented the accused in a case related to the murder of Pintu’s friend, Shanti Mishra. Pintu believed Panda was responsible for delays in the trial and for helping the accused secure bail. He also suspected Panda’s role in an attempt on his own life and blamed him for being denied an MLA ticket, said police.

On the other hand, Bikram Panda and Pitabas Panda, once close friends, had fallen out after 2018 when Bikram switched political parties. Their rivalry deepened after disputes over the Odisha Bar Council elections, where Bikram allegedly used his influence to block Panda’s appointment as Vice-Chairperson. Police said Bikram believed Panda was responsible for his financial losses and for circulating negative posts about him on social media.

Both Bikram Panda and Pintu Das allegedly concluded that Pitabas Panda’s influence was an obstacle to their political future. They, therefore, conspired with their associates Malaya Bisoyi, Madan Dalei, and Uma Bisoyi to eliminate him.

Also read: Pitabas Panda murder: Know detailed sequence of events that led to the killing.