Berhampur, Dec 25: In a major development in the senior advocate and BJP leader Pitabas Panda murder case, the court recorded the statements of six witnesses. Police are preparing to file the charge sheet within the stipulated time frame.

As per legal procedures, the investigating officer is required to file the charge sheet in court within 90 days of the arrest of the accused.

Pitabas Panda was brutally murdered on October 6 of the previous year, and the police have arrested 16 individuals in connection with the crime. In the first phase of the investigation, former legislator Vikram Panda, among eight others, was arrested on October 20. The investigation team is expected to submit the charge sheet in court by January 18.

Police have gathered multiple statements from witnesses, six of which were recorded before a judicial magistrate. The witnesses include individuals from various localities, such as Lakshmi Nrusingh Sahi, Nilamadhab Mishra, Rudra Kumar Seth, Panchu Behera, Sunil Gouda, Jaysen Swain, and Jabarlal Dalei. These statements were recorded from different areas, including the Badbazar police station, Purusottampur, and Digapahandi.

As per reliable sources, police are intensifying efforts to ensure that the charge sheet is submitted within the next 90 days.