Odisha ACF’s Death: Crime Branch Braces For Grilling Forest Officer’s Wife Bidyabharati & Ex-PS To Minister

Paralakhemundi: After grilling 14 persons including Gajapati DFO during its  investigation into the death of Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) Soumya Ranjan Mohapatra, the Crime Branch is getting ready to interrogate the wife of the deceased ACF, Bidyabharati Panda, and the former private secretary to Forest and Environment minister, Dipti Ranjan Behera.

The four-member Crime Branch team led by the DSP Gyana Ranjan Mishra returned to the headquarters in Cuttack on Monday.

Sources in the Crime Branch headquarters said the probe team is cross-checking the statements of 14 persons it had interrogated and preparing a set of questions to grill Bidyabharati. It is not yet known whether the Crime Branch will interrogate her at the headquarters or at her village in Mayurbhanj district.

The sources said of the persons, who were grilled between August 16 and 21, some have given wrong information while some have not cooperated. The Crime Branch will again interrogate these persons and conduct their lie detection test, if necessary.

Also Read: [Watch] Odisha ACF’s Death: DFO Snaps At Media After Grilling; CB Hints At Lie Detection Test

Apart from Bidyabharati, the Crime Branch is most likely to grill the OAS officer Dipti Ranjan Behera, who was the private secretary to the Forest and Environment minister Bikram Keshari Arukha for the last 12 years.

The family members of Soumya Ranjan had alleged that the OAS officer was in regular touch with the Gajapati DFO over phone after his death.

Also Read: Viral Video Of DFO Adds Another Twist To Odisha ACF’s Death; CB Reveals IOC’s Role

A day after the allegation, the state government transferred the OAS officer and posted him in Koraput district as Deputy Administrator, KBK .

A day after his transfer, RTI activist had Subrat Das had moved the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) for its urgent intervention in the matter.

Acting on the petition, the Commission directed Additional Chief Secretary, Forest, Environment and Climate Change and the Director General of Police (DGP) to submit the probe report within six weeks.

Also Read: Odisha ACF’s Death: Crime Branch Crosschecks Witnesses’ Statements With Local Police