The Odisha government has suspended Berhampur Circle Jail doctor Dr Sushant Panigrahi following allegations that his mobile phone was used to threaten a key witness in the Pitabas Panda murder case.
A fresh case was registered against former Berhampur MLA and BJD leader Bikram Kumar Panda, his associate Madan Dalai and Dr Panigrahi after witness Lalit Mangaraj approached Gosaninuagaon police alleging that he was threatened and offered inducements to change his testimony.
According to the police, the alleged incident took place on August 28, when Bikram Panda and Madan Dalai were in the jail doctor’s chamber. Dr Panigrahi allegedly contacted the witness through WhatsApp and handed over the phone to Panda, who then spoke to the witness from another room.
The witness subsequently submitted an audio recording of the alleged conversation to the police. Investigators examined the doctor’s mobile phone and CCTV footage from the jail as part of the probe. Berhampur SP Saravana Vivek said technical evidence was collected before the fresh case was registered.
Police questioned Dr Panigrahi for nearly three hours during the investigation. The allegations against him relate to allegedly facilitating communication between an accused and a prosecution witness while the accused was in judicial custody.
Bikram Panda, who had been in jail for over 10 months in connection with the murder case, was granted conditional bail by the Odisha High Court on August 31 and released on September 1.
The investigation into the alleged witness intimidation remains ongoing.