Police allege witness was threatened from inside Berhampur Circle Jail; CCTV footage, call records and other technical evidence examined before registration of case
GTNS , SEPTEMBER 16, 2026 , BERHAMPUR: The legal proceedings surrounding the murder of senior advocate and BJP leader Pitabash Panda have taken a fresh turn, with police registering another case against former Berhampur MLA Bikram Kumar Panda over an allegation that a prosecution witness was threatened through a phone call made while Panda was lodged in jail.
The new development has shifted attention from the courtroom to the alleged use of a mobile phone inside the prison and the circumstances under which the communication with the witness took place.
Berhampur Superintendent of Police Saravana Vivek M confirmed that a fresh case was registered at Gosaninuagaon Police Station after witness Lalit Mangaraj submitted a complaint alleging intimidation.
The case also names Madan Mohan Dalai and Dr Sushant Panigrahi, the jail doctor whose mobile phone was allegedly used for the communication. Police said the allegations were examined through CCTV footage and technical evidence before the FIR was registered.
THE PHONE CALL THAT TRIGGERED THE NEW CASE
According to the police version reported on Wednesday, the alleged incident occurred on August 28, when Panda was still in judicial custody in connection with the Pitabash Panda murder case.
Police allege that Panda and Dalai contacted witness Lalit Mangaraj using the mobile phone of the jail doctor from inside the doctor’s chamber.
The alleged use of a phone inside the prison became a central point of the preliminary inquiry. Investigators subsequently examined the CCTV cameras installed in the doctor’s chamber and collected technical evidence relating to the communication.
Police have registered the case after what the SP described as verification of the available evidence.
CCTV AND DIGITAL TRAIL UNDER INVESTIGATION
The latest case is notable because investigators are not relying only on the witness complaint.
According to the SP’s account, police examined CCTV footage and technical evidence, including the phone connection allegedly used during the conversation.
Reports also say investigators collected call-related material and audio evidence during the preliminary inquiry. These materials are now part of the investigation into how the alleged communication took place inside the jail.
The exact evidentiary value of the material will ultimately be determined through the legal process.
THE JAIL DOCTOR’S ROLE UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT
The fresh FIR has also brought the role of Dr Sushant Panigrahi, the jail doctor, under scrutiny.
Police allege that the doctor’s mobile phone was used to make the call to the witness from his chamber.
The Berhampur SP has indicated that the administration would be approached regarding the doctor’s role and possible departmental action for allegedly facilitating communication between an accused person in custody and a prosecution witness.
The question now before investigators is not only what was allegedly said during the call, but also how access to the phone was facilitated inside the prison.
TIMING OF THE CASE ADDS ANOTHER LEGAL DIMENSION
The fresh FIR comes only days after Bikram Panda walked out of jail following the Orissa High Court’s bail order.
The High Court, in its August 31, 2026 judgment, ordered Panda’s release after finding that mandatory requirements relating to communication of the grounds of arrest had not been followed. At the same time, the court imposed conditions on his release.
One of those conditions specifically required Panda not to harass, threaten, terrorise or influence the victim’s family, informant or prosecution witnesses. The court also observed that violation of the conditions could lead to re-arrest in accordance with law.
The new allegations therefore come against the backdrop of an existing judicial restriction concerning contact with witnesses.
FROM MURDER INVESTIGATION TO WITNESS-PROTECTION QUESTION
The Pitabash Panda murder case has already generated a lengthy investigation involving multiple accused persons and extensive documentary and digital material.
According to the High Court’s record, the original case arose from the October 6, 2025 shooting of Pitabash Panda in Berhampur, after which police investigated alleged criminal conspiracy, digital communications, CCTV material and other evidence. The case is pending before the 3rd Additional District & Sessions Judge, Berhampur.
The fresh FIR introduces a different but connected issue: whether a witness in that case was subsequently subjected to intimidation.
That makes the latest investigation significant not merely because another case has been registered, but because it directly concerns the integrity of the witness process.
BIKRAM PANDA’S RELEASE AND THE NEW POLICE CASE
Bikram Panda had remained in custody for more than ten months following his arrest in connection with the Pitabash Panda murder investigation. He was released on September 1, 2026, after the High Court’s bail order.
The fresh case was registered after the alleged August 28 communication came under police scrutiny.
Police have not stated that the allegations have been proved in court. The FIR and investigation represent allegations that will have to be tested through the criminal justice process.
A NEW TEST FOR THE INVESTIGATION
The latest development places three issues at the centre of the investigation:
Who made the alleged call?
How was a mobile phone allegedly accessed inside the jail?
Did the communication amount to an attempt to threaten or influence a prosecution witness?
Police are now examining the available CCTV footage, technical material and witness account to establish the sequence of events.
For the Pitabash Panda murder proceedings, the development adds another layer to an already complex legal case—this time involving the alleged protection and independence of a key witness.
As the fresh investigation moves forward, the evidence collected from the jail and the alleged phone communication could become central to determining what actually happened on August 28.
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