This evening, the atmosphere outside Brahmapur Circle Jail resembled a rally rather than a prison release. Garlands, slogans, and a throng of supporters awaited as Bikram Kumar Panda, former MLA and Ganjam district president of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), exited the facility following the Orissa High Court’s decision to grant him conditional bail in the murder case of BJP leader Pitabas Panda. Panda had spent nearly ten months in custody as an undertrial.
The High Court’s ruling was issued on Monday, August 31. Justice Aditya Kumar Mohapatra stated that the police failed to adhere to essential arrest protocols, which included notifying the accused about the reasons for their arrest. Consequently, he ordered that Panda be released under conditions set by the lower court. The judge clarified that this finding regarding the arrest procedure would not influence the merits of the charges or the ongoing trial. Once the bail bond was accepted by the lower court, Panda’s release turned into a political event.
Numerous senior BJD leaders and party members were already gathered outside the jail. Notable attendees included former ministers Debi Mishra, Pratap Jena, and Sanjay Kumar Dasburma, along with state Biju Yuva Janata Dal president Chinmaya Sahu, Ipsita Sahu, Ranjita Sahu, former MLA Purna Chandra Swain, Brahmapur Mayor Sanghamitra Dalei, Zilla Parishad president Anjali Swain, former BDA chairman Subash Maharana, and several others from the BJD’s youth and women’s organizations.
Following his release, a procession formed, advancing through Jail Road, across Kamapalli overbridge, through Kamapalli Bazar, and past Courtpeta square, Medical square, and Gajapati Nagar square, ultimately arriving at Panda’s home in Gajapati Nagar. Thousands of supporters filled the streets along the route, and upon reaching home, he first sought the blessings of his parents.
“I have faith in Lord Jagannath and the honourable court,” Panda expressed after his release. His father, Kishore Panda, addressed the crowd, emphasizing his son’s innocence and their family’s faith in both the judicial system and Lord Jagannath.
The case that led to Panda’s incarceration continues to cast a shadow over Brahmapur’s political landscape. The incident occurred on the night of October 6 last year, when Pitabas Panda was shot and killed near his home in Baikuntha Nagar around 10 PM. Subsequently, police apprehended 16 individuals, including Bikram Panda, suggesting a conspiracy rooted in political, personal, and financial conflicts. Panda has consistently maintained his innocence, asserting that he has been wrongfully accused. The trial is still ongoing.
Panda’s bail, however, does not grant him unrestricted freedom. The court has imposed conditions that prohibit him from intimidating, threatening, or attempting to influence the victim’s family, the informant, or any prosecution witnesses. Violating these conditions could result in his return to custody.
For BJD supporters in Ganjam, the evening represented a display of unity following months of absence from public life. For the judiciary, it served as a reminder of the importance of legal procedures, even in high-profile murder cases. For Berhampur, it marks yet another chapter in a political rivalry that has already led to tragic loss and continues to unfold in the courtroom, witness by witness.
