New case filed against former MLA Bikram Panda by Odisha police for witness intimidation.

The recent events in Brahmapur have caused quite a stir, as the Odisha police have just registered a new case against former MLA and BJD leader, Bikram Kumar Panda. After being released from jail on bail, Panda is now facing accusations of threatening a witness over the phone while still in prison. This is all in connection with the murder of senior advocate Pitabash Panda, which has been a highly publicized case.

Panda was granted bail by the state high court on September 1, after spending more than 10 months behind bars. However, it seems that his troubles are far from over. According to Brahmapur SP Saravana Vivek M, a complaint was lodged by witness Lalit Mangaraj against Panda, his close aide Madan Mohan Dalai, and the jail doctor.

The complaint alleges that Panda and Dalai had threatened Mangaraj on August 28, using the doctor's mobile phone and even from inside the jail doctor's chamber. After investigating the evidence, including CCTV footage from the jail doctor's chamber and technical evidence, SP Vivek M stated that a new case has been registered against the trio, including the former MLA. He also mentioned that they will be writing to the jail administration regarding the jail doctor's role in facilitating communication between an accused and a witness.

To provide some background, Panda was arrested back in November of 2025, along with 15 others, including former mayor of Brahmapur Municipal Corporation Shiva Shankar Das, BJD corporator Malaya Bisoi, and Madan Dalai. They were all accused of being involved in the murder of senior advocate Pitabash Panda, who was also an active member of the BJP. This news has been covered extensively by Orissa POST, which is known as Odisha's No.1 English Daily.

It is clear that the situation in Brahmapur continues to be tense and complicated, as this new case against Panda has emerged. The police are determined to get to the bottom of this murder case and bring justice to the victim and his family. We can only hope that the truth will be revealed soon and that justice will be served.