Former Gajapati Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Sangram Behera, accused in the high‑profile Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) Soumya Ranjan Mohapatra death case, surrendered before the Sub‑Divisional Judicial Magistrate (SDJM) Court in Paralakhemundi on Monday through his counsel.
The Orissa High Court had earlier granted Behera two weeks’ time to surrender before the lower court. Following his surrender, Behera filed a bail application, which was rejected by the SDJM Court. He has now approached the District and Sessions Court seeking relief.
Behera, who served as Principal of the Forest Ranger College in Anugola from January 2023 to April 2026, was appointed Director of the Odisha Forest Development Corporation (OFDC) in May this year.
The case dates back to July 12, 2021, when ACF Soumya Ranjan Mohapatra was found critically injured with severe burn injuries at his official residence in Paralakhemundi. He succumbed to his injuries the following day at a private hospital in Cuttack.
On July 14, 2021, Mohapatra’s family lodged a complaint alleging murder, naming then Gajapati DFO Sangram Behera, Soumya Ranjan’s wife Bidya Bharati, and cook Manmath Kumbha as accused. In view of the seriousness of the case, the Odisha government transferred the investigation to the Crime Branch on August 14, 2021.
