Berhampur, Oct 23 (PTI) The Odisha Police on Thursday arrested another "close aide" of former Berhampur MLA Bikram Kumar Panda in connection with the murder of senior advocate and BJP leader Pitabash Panda, officials said.

Police had on Wednesday arrested 12 people, including Bikram Kumar Panda, former Berhampur mayor Siva Shankar Das, corporator Malaya Bisoyi and Panda's associate Madan Dalei in the case.

Pitabash Panda was gunned down by two assailants near his residence at Baikuntha Nagar here on October 6.

The latest arrest came in the form of Sunil Kumar Hota, a businessman of Jeypore in Koraput district.

He was apprehended for allegedly giving shelter in his farmhouse to one of the assailants, Berhampur SP Saravana Vivek M said.

“Hota was a close friend of Bikram Panda,” he said

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