Crime News / ACF Soumya Ranjan Case: Wife Vidyabharati Surrenders before SDJM Court

Paralakhemundi, Nov 2: In a significant development in the high-profile death case of Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) Soumya Ranjan Mahapatra, his wife Vidyabharati Panda surrendered before the SDJM Court in Paralakhemundi on Monday.

The surrender comes shortly after the Orissa High Court rejected her anticipatory bail plea, bringing the five-year-old case back into public focus.

The case dates back to July 12, 2021, when Soumya Ranjan Mahapatra sustained severe burn injuries at his government residence in Paralakhemundi.

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He was later shifted to a hospital in Kataka, where he succumbed to his injuries. Soon after his death, family members alleged that Vidyabharati Panda and then DFO Sangram Keshari Behera were involved in a conspiracy leading to Soumya’s death.

They also claimed that the two shared a close relationship and accused them of murder.

However, after conducting an investigation, the Crime Branch treated the incident as an accident. Dissatisfied with the findings, Soumya’s family approached the court, alleging that the investigation was influenced by political pressure and had unfairly exonerated the accused.

The court later directed proceedings against Vidyabharati Panda, former DFO Sangram Keshari Behera and cook Manmath Kumbh on charges including murder and criminal conspiracy.

While Sangram Keshari Behera and Manmath Kumbh were arrested earlier, Vidyabharati moved the High Court seeking relief. Following the rejection of her plea, she surrendered before the trial court.

The case has continued to generate controversy due to several unanswered questions.

Allegations regarding the decision to shift Soumya to Kataka instead of the nearer Visakhapatnam, discrepancies linked to the recording of his dying declaration, and concerns over the circumstances under which he reportedly gave a statement despite suffering extensive burn injuries have all fuelled public suspicion.