Cuttack : The Orissa High Court has sought an explanation from the Superintendent of Police (SP), Berhampur, over his alleged comments linking an ongoing murder investigation to a pending election petition, a move that has placed the senior police officer in serious legal trouble.
Justice Sashikanta Mishra, hearing Election Petition No. 19 of 2024 filed by Manoj Kumar Panda against BJP MLA K. Anil Kumar of Berhampur, took strong exception to a report published in The Hindu on October 23, 2025. The report quoted the SP as saying that the “election petition emerged as a common link between Bikram Panda and Siba Sankar Dash,” both accused in the murder of BJP leader and advocate Pitabas Panda.
The court observed that such remarks, if indeed made, were “deeply disturbing” and could amount to interference with judicial proceedings. “It is indeed disturbing to observe that a police officer as senior as the SP chose to publicly comment on an ongoing election dispute before this Court,” the order stated.
The High Court has directed the SP to explain “under what circumstances and for what reason he gave the statement” and “why such conduct should not be treated as contempt of court.” The officer has been asked to file his explanation by November 7, 2025.
Witness Protection Ordered
In a related development, the Bench also ordered witness protection after petitioner Manoj Kumar Panda alleged that a key witness in the case had been illegally detained and assaulted. Panda, in an affidavit submitted on October 31, claimed that he himself was picked up by plainclothes police personnel near Berhampur railway station on October 22, detained for two days, and interrogated about the election petition against MLA Anil Kumar.
Justice Mishra directed that the affidavit and order be served to the Additional Government Advocate to obtain instructions from the Home Department. The case has been listed for further hearing on November 7, 2025.
Political Undercurrents
The election petition filed in May 2024 challenges the victory of BJP’s Anil Kumar from Berhampur. The case took a sensational turn after the murder of BJP leader Pitabas Panda, in which former BJD MLA Bikram Panda and ex-BeMC Mayor Siba Sankar Dash were arrested.
The SP’s reported statement linking the murder probe to the election petition has sparked controversy, raising questions about the neutrality of the police in politically sensitive cases.
With the High Court’s intervention, the proceedings in ELPET 19/2024 have now taken on a larger constitutional dimension, highlighting the delicate balance between law enforcement and judicial independence amid Ganjam’s charged political climate