ACF Soumyaranjan Death: Bidya Bharati & Ex-DFO Approach HC Against SDJM Court Order

Bhubaneswar: Bidya Bharati Panda, wife of late ACF Soumya Ranjan Mohapatra, who was killed in Paralakhemundi under mysterious conditions, and former Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Sangram Behera moved the Orissa High Court challenging the order issued by a lower court.

Both filed separate petitions in the High Court, challenging the directive of the Paralakhemundi SDJM court. The lower court in April had summoned the Bidya Bharati, Sangram and cook Manmath Kumbha to appear before it. The SDJM court, on the basis of a petition filed by the deceased’s father, had issued the summon order.

Bidya Bharati and Sangram have named the Odisha government and Soumya Ranjan Mohapatra’s father Abhiram as respondents in their petitions.

On July 31, 2021, Soumya Ranjan Mohapatra succumbed to burn injuries while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Cuttack on July 13, 2021. He was found in critical condition with burn injuries at his residence on July 12, 2021 in Paralakhemundi.

On July 14, his family lodged a complaint against former Gajapati DFO Sangram Behera, the deceased’s wife Bidya Bharati Panda, and cook Manmath Kumbha alleging murder. The state government had ordered a Crime Branch inquiry into the case on August 14. The Crime Branch termed the incident as an ‘accidental death’.

Crime Branch gave clean chit to Sangram Behera and Manmath Kumbha, but booked Bidya Bharati under sections 304-A (causing death by negligence) and 285 (negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible matter) of IPC.