Trouble mounts for IAS Manish Agarwal as Orissa High Court denies bail in stenographer death case

The Orissa High Court has rejected the anticipatory bail plea of IAS officer Manish Agrawal, former District Collector of Malkangiri, in connection with the alleged suicide of his stenographer, Deba Narayan Panda.

The court's decision marks a significant setback for Agrawal and heightens the possibility of his arrest as the investigation progresses.

Further Denial for Co-accused

In addition to Agrawal, anticipatory bail has also been denied to his personal assistant, Prakash Chandra Sway, and data entry operator, V. Benu. Meanwhile, former stenographer Bhagban Panigrahi, another accused in the case, has cited health issues, reporting cancer and his wife’s mental health struggles. The High Court has directed Panigrahi to surrender before the lower court within three weeks, assuring that anticipatory bail would be granted based on satisfactory conditions.

Background of Allegations

Deba Narayan Panda, serving as the personal assistant to Agrawal, went missing on 27 May 2019. His body was subsequently discovered near the Sattiguda Dam. Initially, murder charges were laid against Agrawal and three others following accusations from Panda’s family. However, the High Court has clarified that the charges are now framed under abetment to suicide.

Investigative Developments

This ongoing legal battle sheds light on the complexities surrounding accountability and the judicial process in the Indian bureaucratic framework, as scrutiny intensifies on public office bearers in such sensitive cases.