Paralakhemundi: In a major turn of events in the high-profile death case of Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) Soumya Ranjan Mohapatra, former Paralakhemundi divisional forest officer (DFO) Sangram Behera surrendered before the Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate (SDJM) court here on Monday.
Accompanied by his lawyer, Behera presented himself at the court around noon to complete his formal surrender following a series of legal setbacks and non-bailable warrants.
The case traces back to July 11, 2021, when Soumya Ranjan Mohapatra, a 2020-batch Odisha Forest Service officer, sustained 80% burns under mysterious circumstances at his official residence in Paralakhemundi. Mohapatra, who had married in December 2020, was rushed to government hospitals in Berhampur and Cuttack before being shifted to a private facility, where he succumbed to his injuries the following day. The sudden and suspicious nature of his death triggered widespread public outrage and demands for a thorough criminal investigation. Shortly after the incident, the deceased ACF’s family lodged a formal police complaint on July 14, 2021, alleging murder and directly pointing fingers at three individuals: former DFO Behera, Soumya Ranjan’s wife, Bidya Bharati Panda, and their cook, Manmath Kumbha.
Given the sensitivity and high-profile nature of the allegations, the Odisha government transferred the investigation to the CID Crime Branch in August 2021. While early Crime Branch findings granted a clean chit to the former DFO, Soumya Ranjan’s family persistently challenged the investigation’s conclusions, maintaining that he and the victim’s wife were involved. Pursuing legal remedies, the family filed a protest petition in court, leading the judicial magistrate to take cognizance of the matter and issue repeated summonses to the named accused.
When the accused failed to appear despite multiple summons, the trial court issued non-bailable warrants.
In July 2025, the Orissa high court also rejected petitions by Bidya bharati and Behera, who challenged the April 2023 order of a sub-divisional judicial magistrate to investigate and try the two for murder. Seeking relief, Behera filed for anticipatory bail, but his petition was rejected by the high court in October 2025 and he was directed to present himself before the trial court.
Complying with the directive, Behera surrendered before the SDJM court in Paralakhemundi. Following his surrender, Behera’s counsel moved a bail application, but the SDJM Court rejected the plea. He subsequently filed a fresh bail application before the District and Sessions Court.
