Berhampur, Nov 13: In a key development in the Pitabash Panda murder case, the Berhampur court is expected to pronounce its verdict Thursday on the conditional release petition filed on behalf of Bikram Panda, who is currently lodged in Berhampur jail.

Bikram was arrested in connection with the murder of advocate Pitabash Panda and has been seeking conditional release, citing lack of concrete evidence. His lawyer, advocate Kumarakanta Behera, argued in court that Bikram’s arrest was unlawful and unsupported by any substantial proof. The defence emphasized that no direct evidence links Bikram to the crime, and therefore, he should be released on conditional terms.

However, government counsel Rajendra Sabat opposed the plea, asserting that sufficient evidence exists against Bikram and that his release could hinder the ongoing investigation. Both sides presented their arguments, and the court is set to announce its decision Thursday.

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Meanwhile, controversy has erupted over jail visitation rights. Bikram’s lawyer alleged that despite court permission, he was denied access to meet his client in jail.

As per jail manual regulations, only three visitors — either family members or legal representatives — are allowed to meet an inmate twice a week. If a lawyer has already met the inmate twice, family members are not permitted to visit during that week.

The jail authorities cited these rules to justify the denial, stating that Bikram had already exhausted his weekly visitation quota. This led to another petition being filed in court to challenge the restriction, which was also heard recently.

The Pitabash Panda murder case has drawn significant public attention, and the ruling on Bikram’s conditional release could mark a turning point in the legal proceedings.