Panda, 54, was Friday found dead along with his wife, father and two sisters. Days before the incident, a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) team raided his office and houses to ascertain if he was involved and to what extent in the illegal immigration racket.

'Jagadananda was asked by authorities to go on leave. If he was guilty in the scam, he could have been suspended but that was not done,' Muralidhar said.

Muralidhar said there may have been threat to Panda and his son's lives and that is why 'he released his service revolver from armory which he had deposited four years ago.'

'I have known him closely. I don't think he can commit suicide or kill people he loved,' he said.

Denying police claim that the main door and other entry points to the house were found closed from inside and there was no possibility of anyone entering the house from the roof, Muralidhar said: 'I saw there are several escape routes.'

'Police should also look into other angles,' Muralidhar said and demanded a CBI investigation in the killings.