Berhampur: A local court here today rejected the bail applications of five accused in the lawyer Pitabas Panda murder case, including former Berhampur MLA Bikram Panda.

The Court of the Additional District & Sessions Judge rejected the bail pleas of Bikram Panda, former Berhampur Municipal Corporation Mayor Pintu Das, lawyer Madan Dalei, Sunil Hota, and Sunya Das.

About Pitabas Panda murder case

The murder of 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.

On the night of October 6, 2025, around 10 pm, Pitabas Panda was returning home when he was shot by two assailants near his residence. He was rushed to MKCG Medical College and Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.

According to the police, Bikram Panda, former Ganjam district BJD president, and Pintu Das were the main conspirators behind the killing, allegedly motivated by political, personal and financial reasons.

Pintu Das was recently shifted to Phulbani Jail

Pintu Das was shifted from Berhampur Circle Jail to Phulbani Jail in October. Earlier, a petition was filed in the SDJM Court expressing concerns over his safety inside Berhampur Circle Jail. The petition claimed that there was a potential threat to his life while being lodged there.