In a major development in the murder case of BJP leader and senior lawyer Pitabas Panda, police are set to file the charge sheet on Sunday, despite it being a holiday. Official sources stated that the charge sheet, running over 30,000 pages, reflects the scale and complexity of the investigation.
Pitabas Panda was murdered on October 6, 2025. So far, 16 individuals, including former BJD MLA Bikram Panda, have been arrested in connection with the case. Investigators said the filing of the charge sheet marks a crucial stage, paving the way for the commencement of trial proceedings.
Police officials said the investigation covered multiple aspects, including the sequence of events leading to the killing, the alleged conspiracy, and the roles of each accused. Statements of witnesses, forensic evidence, call detail records, and other technical inputs were examined and compiled in the charge sheet. The document was prepared after months of sustained investigation by several teams.
Earlier, a Test Identification (TI) parade of all 16 accused was conducted inside Berhampur Circle Jail under the directions of the SDJM Court.
