Patnaik was allegedly detained for more than 12 hours by the Keonjhar town police after his interview with Dara Singh, prime accused in the killing of Australian missionary and his two sons, was aired on a private TV channel.

Replying during the hearing of a case filed by Patnaik before the Press Council of India (PCI) here, State Home Secretary A K Tripathy said the state government would soon constitute a senior level panel to probe all the complaints of Patnaik. Denying that Patnaik was mentally harassed, he said, ``interrogation by the police should not be considered as harassment.''

Earlier, Tripathy also submitted before the Council that Patnaik was not a `working journalist' as per the list of the State Information and Public RelationsDepartment and the Council was not the right forum to hear such a case.

However, Tripathy's submission was rejected by PCI chairman Justice P B Sawant. He held that the Council recognises Patnaik as a journalist as the person is engaged in collection and dissemination of information.

On Patnaik's complaint of threat from both the police and Dara Singh, Sawant directed the state government to provide appropriate security to Patnaik and his family and also asked him to put up a written request to the state Home Department.

Sawant held that Keonjhar superintendent of police can't be transferred until the inquiry is over.

The PCI chairman also held that every citizen must cooperate the state in detecting and preventing crime. ``No one is above the law and it was the duty of every citizen to see that they cooperate the police in nabbing the culprit. First we are citizens and then we are professionals,'' he maintained.

Sawant refused to go detail into the Dara Singh case. ``We can't go into the merits ofthe case as it is under probe now. We are not the law enforcing authority and our duty is only to protect the journalists,'' he said.

Meanwhile, secretary of PCI Prem Kumar said that the Council has asked for a copy of the inquiry report from the state as soon as the probe was over to study the truth behind Patnaik's allegations.