Odisha suspends forest officer over alleged murder of subordinate in 2021
Odisha has suspended IFS officer Sangram Keshari Behera in the Soumya Ranjan Mohapatra death case. The action follows his surrender, judicial custody and mounting scrutiny over the investigation.
The Odisha government has suspended Indian Forest Service officer Sangram Keshari Behera over his alleged involvement in the 2021 death of a forest officer in Gajapati district, according to an official statement. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi ordered the suspension of Behera, who is currently posted as director (commercial) in the Odisha Forest Development Corporation.
Behera was the divisional forest officer of Paralakhemundi at the time of the incident and is an accused in the death of Soumya Ranjan Mohapatra, the then assistant conservator of forests in Paralakhemundi. Mohapatra, a 2018-batch Odisha Forest Service officer, suffered serious burn injuries at his home on July 11, 2021, when his wife was also present there.
Mohapatra died during treatment at a private hospital in Cuttack on July 12, 2021. His family alleged that he was murdered and accused Behera, Mohapatra's wife and the house cook of being involved. On July 13, 2021, the family lodged a complaint against the three, accusing them of conspiring to kill him. A case was registered at Paralakhemundi police station and was later handed over to the Crime Branch.
In September 2022, Mohapatra's family moved the local court, pointing to what they said were several gaps in the investigation. When the accused did not appear despite summonses, the trial court issued non-bailable warrants against Behera.
Behera then sought anticipatory bail from the high court, but his plea was rejected and he was directed to appear before the trial court. He surrendered before the Paralakhemundi court on July 27 this year and was remanded to judicial custody. The suspension follows these developments in the case linked to Mohapatra's death.
The Odisha government has suspended Indian Forest Service officer Sangram Keshari Behera over his alleged involvement in the 2021 death of a forest officer in Gajapati district, according to an official statement. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi ordered the suspension of Behera, who is currently posted as director (commercial) in the Odisha Forest Development Corporation.
Behera was the divisional forest officer of Paralakhemundi at the time of the incident and is an accused in the death of Soumya Ranjan Mohapatra, the then assistant conservator of forests in Paralakhemundi. Mohapatra, a 2018-batch Odisha Forest Service officer, suffered serious burn injuries at his home on July 11, 2021, when his wife was also present there.
Mohapatra died during treatment at a private hospital in Cuttack on July 12, 2021. His family alleged that he was murdered and accused Behera, Mohapatra's wife and the house cook of being involved. On July 13, 2021, the family lodged a complaint against the three, accusing them of conspiring to kill him. A case was registered at Paralakhemundi police station and was later handed over to the Crime Branch.
In September 2022, Mohapatra's family moved the local court, pointing to what they said were several gaps in the investigation. When the accused did not appear despite summonses, the trial court issued non-bailable warrants against Behera.
Behera then sought anticipatory bail from the high court, but his plea was rejected and he was directed to appear before the trial court. He surrendered before the Paralakhemundi court on July 27 this year and was remanded to judicial custody. The suspension follows these developments in the case linked to Mohapatra's death.
The Odisha government has suspended Indian Forest Service officer Sangram Keshari Behera over his alleged involvement in the 2021 death of a forest officer in Gajapati district, according to an official statement. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi ordered the suspension of Behera, who is currently posted as director (commercial) in the Odisha Forest Development Corporation.
Behera was the divisional forest officer of Paralakhemundi at the time of the incident and is an accused in the death of Soumya Ranjan Mohapatra, the then assistant conservator of forests in Paralakhemundi. Mohapatra, a 2018-batch Odisha Forest Service officer, suffered serious burn injuries at his home on July 11, 2021, when his wife was also present there.
Mohapatra died during treatment at a private hospital in Cuttack on July 12, 2021. His family alleged that he was murdered and accused Behera, Mohapatra's wife and the house cook of being involved. On July 13, 2021, the family lodged a complaint against the three, accusing them of conspiring to kill him. A case was registered at Paralakhemundi police station and was later handed over to the Crime Branch.
In September 2022, Mohapatra's family moved the local court, pointing to what they said were several gaps in the investigation. When the accused did not appear despite summonses, the trial court issued non-bailable warrants against Behera.
Behera then sought anticipatory bail from the high court, but his plea was rejected and he was directed to appear before the trial court. He surrendered before the Paralakhemundi court on July 27 this year and was remanded to judicial custody. The suspension follows these developments in the case linked to Mohapatra's death.
