Paralakhemundi: In a major development in connection with the death of Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) Soumya Ranjan Mohapatra, his wife Bidya Bharati Panda surrendered before a court in Odisha’s Paralakhemundi on Monday.
The surrender of Bidya Bharati before the SDJM court came following the rejection of her anticipatory bail application by the Orissa High Court on October 31. She had approached the HC seeking protection from arrest in the case.
The case dates back to July 11, 2021, when Soumya Ranjan, who was serving as an ACF in Paralakhemundi in Gajapati district, sustained around 80 per cent burn injuries under mysterious circumstances at his official residence.
He was initially rushed to a hospital and later shifted to Kataka for better treatment. However, he succumbed to his injuries.
On July 14, 2021, Soumya Ranjan’s family lodged a complaint alleging that he had been murdered. The complaint named his wife, Bidya Bharati Panda, the then Gajapati Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Sangram Behera and cook Manmath Kumbha as accused.
Given the sensitivity of the case, the Odisha government handed over the investigation to the Crime Branch in August, 2021.
The case had drawn attention across Odisha and questions were raised over the circumstances surrounding the ACF’s death under mysterious ocircumstances.
