In a major development in the mysterious death case of Paralakhemundi Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) Soumya Ranjan Mohapatra, the Gajapati Superintendent of Police on Friday gave clean chit DFO Sangram Keshari Behera.
Behera was one of the three accused named in the murder case filed in connection with the young forest officer's death, the other two being the deceased's wife Bidyabharati Panda and his cook.
Gajapati SP Tapan Patnaik said the DFO has no links with the death of the ACF as well as his wife. His statement came after a marathon interrogation of the DFO by the Gajapati Police.
"During questioning, the DFO clarified that he has no connection with Bidyabharati. We have also analysed the Call Detail Records (CDR) of the DFO. As per the CDR analysis so far, we concluded that he has no link with Bidyabharati. He has no link with the ACF’s cook Manmath Kumbh either," said the SP.
Clarifying on the halting of the ambulance that carried a severely burnt Soumya Ranjan to hospital, the SP Tapan Patnaik said, “The ambulance had stopped for 15 minutes at the forest gate, because Bidyabharati had not carried cash nor any other belongings with her while accompanying her husband in the ambulance. Therefore, she stopped there and took cash other thing from the lady cop’s house.”
Asked about the exact cause of death of the ACF, the SP said, “There is need for more investigation about the cause of death. I will speak on it after the probe completes.”