Bhubaneswar: Even as the Orissa High Court on Tuesday put a stay on the non-bailable warrant issued by the Sub-divisional judicial magistrate against late Parlakhemundi AFC Saumya Ranjan Mohapatra, Bidyabharati, the widow of the deceased ACF is reported to be missing. She was neither traced to her residence nor her office.
The police had obtained a non-bailable warrant (NBW) from the court of the Sub-divisional judicial magistrate against three accused including wife Bidyabharati, DFO Sangram Behera, and cook Manmath Kumbha with an order to arrest Bidyabharati if she fails to appear in the court in person. The police reportedly visited Bidyabharati’s residence and office to execute the NBW, but could not find her at either place.
Earlier, the court, while rejecting a petition to dismiss the case, ordered three of them to appear before it on July 7.
It is worth mentioning here that the death of ACF Saumya Ranjan created a flutter in the state two years ago. He had reportedly died in an accidental fire on the night of July 11, 2021. However, his family members refused to accept the incident as a case of accidental death. They pointed fingers at his wife Bidyabharati, DFO Sangram Behera, and cook Manmath.
The parents of the state’s youngest Forest officer demanded an investigation into the case from murder and criminal conspiracy aspects. After much hue and cry, the case was handed over to the Crime Branch.
After a thorough inquiry, the probe agency had also given a clean chit to the accused in its charge sheet, stating Soumya’s death occurred due to an accidental fire.
