BHUBANESWAR/CUTTACK: The lawyers are on a warpath over the brutal murder of senior advocate and BJP leader Pitabasa Panda in Berhampur on Monday night. While the Bar Council of India (BCI) has demanded a probe by a special investigation team (SIT), the Odisha State Bar Council (OSBC) has announced a day-long abstention from court work on Wednesday to register their protest.
Shooting off a letter to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, chief secretary Manoj Ahuja and DGP YB Khurania, the BCI on Tuesday expressed strong condemnation of the killing of Panda, an elected member of OSBC, and asked the government to constitute a SIT headed by a senior IPS officer, who is unconnected with the local police station, with a written mandate to complete the investigation in a time-bound manner.
“All perpetrators, conspirators and facilitators must be apprehended without delay, custodial interrogation should be ensured where warranted, and recovered weapons and digital evidences must be secured. Any lapses in beat intelligence, preventive action or local police station response must be examined immediately and errant officials must be placed under suspension pending inquiry,” BCI chairman and senior Supreme Court advocate Manan Kumar Mishra said in the letter.
He also called for speedy prosecution with appointment of a prominent special public prosecutor and expedited trial before a designated court. While demanding ex gratia for the kin of the deceased, the BCI has also called for a statewide security advisory and setting up a dedicated helpline or control room within 48 hours to handle any threats issued to the advocates.
The OSBC on its part passed an unanimous resolution calling for a statewide ‘Pen-Down’ strike on Wednesday, urging all advocates across Odisha to abstain from court work for a day as a mark of solidarity and protest against the cold-blooded murder of Panda.
The State Bar Council has also demanded constitution of a high-level judicial inquiry commission to probe the circumstances and submit a report within three months, an ex gratia of Rs 1 crore to the bereaved family and enactment of the long-pending Advocate Protection Act to ensure safety of legal professionals in the state, council chairman Sitanshu Mohan Dwibedy said.
The OSBC in its resolution also demanded immediate arrest and prosecution of the culprits within 48 hours, and a time-bound investigation to unearth any possible conspiracy, including motives tied to professional engagements, Dwibedy added.
The Bhubaneswar Bar Association also announced that no member will participate in any legal proceedings or professional engagements on Wednesday to protest the murder of Panda.