Berhampur: Advocate Deepak Pattnaik, lawyer of ex-MLA Bikram Panda, has raised serious objections to the chargesheet filed by police in connection with the murder of senior lawyer and BJP leader Pitabas Panda. Police had earlier claimed that political and business rivalry was the motive behind the murder of the BJP leader when the accused were arrested.
However, Pattnaik Thursday said the chargesheet presents a different narrative regarding the circumstances of the murder and that new elements have been inserted. He alleged that police were attempting to malign the character of former MLA Bikram Panda, an accused in the case, who is currently the district president of the BJD. According to the seizure list submitted by police, a pen drive containing some objectionable photographs of Bikram was recovered from Panda’s house.
During the post-mortem, a key was found tied to the sacred thread worn by the deceased. Police stated that the key was used to open a secret chamber in his house, from where the pen drive was seized. Pattnaik questioned these claims, alleging that the story was fabricated to defame Bikram Panda. He said police submitted only the seizure list in court but did not produce any photographic evidence or the pen drive itself.
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He further said that initially, police had linked the murder to alleged irregularities involving liquor, sand and land dealings. However, the chargesheet makes no mention of these aspects. Had the investigation proceeded in that direction, several influential individuals might have been implicated, Pattnaik alleged. An application has been filed seeking a copy of the evidence submitted by police in court. Further legal steps will be taken after examining the documents, Pattnaik said.
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