In a major development in the tragic death case of Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) Soumya Ranjan Mohapatra, his widow, Bidya Bharati Panda, has approached the Orissa High Court seeking anticipatory bail to prevent a potential arrest.
The move follows the recent dismissal of her Special Leave Petition (SLP) by the Supreme Court on September 28. The apex court declined to interfere with earlier orders requiring her presence before the trial court, but explicitly observed that she retains the liberty to move the appropriate judicial forum to seek pre-arrest protection.
The legal troubles for Bidya Bharati escalated after the Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate (SDJM) Court in Paralakhemundi turned down her applications under Section 205 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), which sought personal appearance exemption on June 23, 2023, and March 11, 2024.
When she challenged these rulings, the Orissa High Court upheld the lower court’s decisions and initially directed her to surrender or appear before the SDJM court on or before October 1. While her subsequent appeal to the Supreme Court failed to grant her personal appearance relief, the High Court has now extended her deadline, permitting her to appear before the Paralakhemundi SDJM court by October 30.
The case dates back to July 2021, when ACF Soumya Ranjan Mohapatra suffered fatal burn injuries at his official residence in Paralakhemundi. Following his death, his family lodged serious allegations claiming a deliberate conspiracy involving his wife, Bidya Bharati, former Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Sangram Keshari Behera, and the household cook Manmath Kumbha. The trial court subsequently took cognisance of grave charges, including murder (Section 302) and criminal conspiracy (Section 120-B).
With the recent arrests and court appearances of other key individuals named in the case, all eyes are now on the High Court as it prepares to hear Bidya Bharati’s plea for anticipatory bail ahead of her October 30 court deadline.
