Buzz In Power Corridors: Is Forest Minister’s Secy Transfer Linked To Odisha ACF Death Case?

Bhubaneswar: Why was Dipti Ranjan Behera, the private secretary (PS) to Forest and Environment Minister Bikram Keshari Arukha, suddenly transferred amidst the ongoing police probe into the death of Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) of Paralakhemundi Soumya Ranjan Mohapatra?

This buzz of a link between Behera and the ACF’s death case has been doing the rounds in government circles ever since the senior Odisha Administrative Service (OAS) officer was transferred to Koraput without the minister’s knowledge.

The General Administration and Public Grievance Department had issued the transfer notification on August 2.

Incidentally, the deceased ACF’s father, Abhiram Mohapatra, had told the media that the police were not properly investigating his son’s death due to alleged pressure by the Forest and Environment minister.

Also, Behera’s transfer comes at a time when the government has begun the process of transferring DFO of Paralakhemundi Sangram Keshari Behera following allegations of his involvement in the ACF’s death and his relationship with Bidyabharati Panda (wife of Soumya Ranjan).

On the other hand, department insiders claimed that higher ups in the government were peeved at Behera’s style of functioning.

They added that Behera’s transfer was part of a move to shift some other OAS officers who have been posted as PS to other ministers.

Behera had joined the Forest and Environment Department as the Under Secretary in 2009. After Arukha took charge of the ministry, he was appointed as Officer on Special Duty (OSD).

While serving in the department, Behera was promoted to the rank of Deputy Secretary and later Joint Secretary.

In 2014, he was posted as Private Secretary to the minister and continued in his post till 2019. After Arukha was re-elected in the 2019 Assembly elections, Behera was again posted as the minister’s PS.