ACF Soumya Ranjan Death Case: Cook Arrested After Five-Year Chase
SC dismisses SLP of deceased’s wife Bidyabharati; arrest threat looms: Reports
BHUBANESWAR: Nearly five years after Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) Soumya Ranjan Mohapatra died of severe burn injuries under mysterious circumstances, Paralakhemundi police on Wednesday arrested his former cook Manmath Kumbha, one of the three accused named by the deceased officer’s father.
Kumbha was arrested from his native village in the early hours while police were executing a non-bailable warrant issued by the SDJM court at Paralakhemundi. He was subsequently taken for medical examination and is expected to be produced before the court for further legal proceedings. The warrant was issued in connection with a case registered under appropriate sections of law.
The case dates back to July 11, 2021, when Soumya Ranjan, then posted as ACF at Paralakhemundi in Gajapati district, suffered extensive burn injuries at his official residence. He was initially treated locally and later shifted to Cuttack for advanced treatment, where he succumbed to his injuries. The post-mortem report had attributed his death to extensive ante-mortem burn injuries, while the circumstances leading to the fire remained a matter of investigation.
Following his death, Soumya’s father, Abhiram Mohapatra, lodged a complaint alleging that his son had been murdered as part of a conspiracy. The complaint named Soumya’s wife Bidyabharati Panda, then Gajapati DFO Sangram Keshari Behera and cook Manmath Kumbha as accused. The Odisha government subsequently handed over the investigation to the Crime Branch.
The Crime Branch had initially investigated the case under Sections 285 and 304-A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Subsequently, following the complaint filed by Soumya’s father before the Paralakhemundi SDJM court, the court took cognisance of the matter and invoked Sections 302 and 120-B, according to senior advocate Umesh Prasad Rath.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a Special Leave Petition (SLP) filed by Bidyabharati challenging the High Court of Orissa’s September 3 order in the case. The High Court had declined to quash the criminal proceedings against her and had withdrawn the interim protection from arrest.
The Supreme Court, while declining to entertain the SLP, granted Bidyabharati liberty to approach the appropriate court and seek anticipatory bail, according to reports.
Former DFO Sangram Keshari Behera had earlier surrendered before the Paralakhemundi court after his anticipatory bail plea was rejected. His arrest and the latest arrest of Kumbha have added a fresh dimension to the long-running case.
“The accused had challenged the lower court’s order before the High Court, but the petition was dismissed. They subsequently approached the Supreme Court, which also dismissed the plea,” Rath said.
With Kumbha now in custody and the Supreme Court having declined to interfere with the High Court order concerning Bidyabharati, further proceedings in the case are expected to gain momentum. The allegations against the accused, however, remain subject to adjudication by the competent court.