Yes, the setting is similar to late 50-ies, early 60-ies Europe during the Cold War, so lobotomy/drugs can play a part too.
As you said, that Donovan did not call the Secret police on Loid puts quite a large hole in my theory. If he truly was a mind reader, he would have disposed of him as soon as possible... but he did not. Currently I have no idea why he spared him, unless he knew he is more important alive (which he could, if he read Loid's mind. His mission is not to kill, but to extract information from Donovan).
Yet, the clues still point in the esper direction. In Chapter 78, we learn from the Handler that Project Apple (the experiment which Anya and Bond was part of) is still running in secret, founded by the Ostanian National Party. Even though Donovan is the Chairman of the Party, there are no records about his involvment, which is strange, as the scars on his head (kinda) confirm he went through some surgery.
So, if the project WAS founded by Donovan, it does connect Anya and him. Also, Donovan never met/seen Anya before, and he is one of the few important characters she hasn't read their mind yet. So, we have to see what comes next, either Anya will be traumatized by remembering him, or he will remember Anya as Subject No. 7.