Bhubaneswar: Odisha MLA Padmalochan Panda on Wednesday demanded a fresh investigation into the mysterious death of Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) Soumya Ranjan Mohapatra in Gajapati district over four years ago.
Raising the issue during Zero Hour in the Assembly, the BJP legislator from Simulia said that the authorities should again conduct a thorough probe in the case to ensure justice for Soumya Ranjan’s family. Raising questions on the role of the then Forest Minister and Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) in the case, Panda sought steps to reopen the case files for a fresh inquiry.
It may be recalled that Soumya Ranjan was found in critical condition with burn injuries at his residence in Paralakhemundi on July 12, 2021. He succumbed to injuries while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Cuttack the next day.
His family lodged a complaint against former Gajapati DFO Sangram Behera, Soumya Ranjan’s wife Bidya Bharati, and cook Manmath Kumbha after two days, alleging that the forest officer was murdered. The state government handed over the probe to the Crime Branch on August 14, 2021.
On October 8, 2021, the Crime Branch gave a clean chit to Behera and 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 the IPC.
The Crime Branch described the incident as an ‘accidental death’ and stated that Behera and Kumbha had no role in the death. It further said that there was no evidence of any relationship between Bidya Bharati and the DFO.
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