Police Shielding DFO In Odisha ACF’s Death? Investigation Officer Likely To Be Replaced

Bhubaneswar: There seems to be a move to replace the investigation officer (OI) in the Paralakhemundi Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) Soumya Ranjan Mohapatra’s death case.

Notably, police assisted by Crime Branch are yet to make a breakthrough even four weeks after the forest officer succumbed to burns after being rescued from his official quarters in a critical condition on the night of July 12. 

Soumya’s family members had alleged that the IIC of Paralakhemundi Town police station Bibekanand Swain, who is the IO, and some senior police officers, have been trying to shield Paralakhemundi DFO Sangram Keshari Behera, against whom they had lodged a complaint suspecting his involvement in his death.

Police had given the DFO a clean chit in the case after verifying the call detail record (CDR).

However, police which had seized the mobile phone of Soumya’s wife Bidyabharati Panda found that DFO had made a series of WhatsApp calls to her for which there will be no CDR.

While expressing resentment over the sloppy investigation, the family members also questioned why police are yet to bring Bidyabharati to Paralakhemundi to reconstruct the incident scene? They have also sought clarification on whether the couple had a quarrel that night and what happened thereafter.

Besides the IO, some senior police officers of Gajapati district are also likely to be transferred, sources said.

According to reports published in some vernacular dailies, the neighbours of the ACF have alleged that police are yet to record their statements despite the fact that they narrated details of the fateful night.

Soumya Ranjan Padhi, the maternal brother of the ACF, had recently told the media that the Forest and Environment Minister Bikram Keshari Arukha was putting pressure on the police to bail out the DFO and therefore, should be brought under the purview of the investigation.

This allegation gained ground with the sudden transfer of Dipti Ranjan Behera, who was private secretary (PS) to the Forest and Environment Minister.

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