ACF Soumya Ranjan death case: Orissa HC stays NBW against wife

Paralakhemundi: The Non-Bailable Warrant (NBW) issued against the wife in the ACF Soumya Ranjan death case has been stayed by the Orissa High Court (HC).

It is worth mentioning that, the wife of Paralakemundi ACF Soumya Ranjan has gone missing days before her appearance before the court on July 7.

Earlier, the police had received order to arrest ACF Soumya Ranjan’s wife Bidya Bharati Panda if she fails to appear before court, but now she has been granted a breather by the Court. The Court has stayed the NBW issued against her in the ACF Soumya Ranjan death case.

Earlier, Paralakhemundi Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) court reportedly issued Non-Bailable Warrant (NBW) against his wife Bidya Bharati Panda, former Gajapati DFO Sangram Keshari Behera and cook Manmath Kumbha to appear before the court.

The Paralakhemundi SDJM court issued the NBW against them as they did not appear before it. The court had asked them to appear before it on April 27 after the deceased ACF’s father Abhiram Mohapatra filed a petition on ‘laxity in probe’ into Soumya Ranjan Mohapatra death alleging it as a murder case.

While issuing the NBW against Bidya Bharati, Sangram Keshari and Manmath, the court has asked the trio to appear before it on or before July 7.

Notably, the ACF died on July 12, 2021 while undergoing treatment at a private hospital, a day after he mysteriously sustained critical burn injuries at his Paralakhemundi quarters on July 11.

Later, Soumya Ranjan’s family members had filed a case at Paralakhemundi alleging that he was murdered by Bidya Bharati Panda, Sangram Keshari Behera and Manmath Kumbha. They also had claimed that there was extramarital affair between the DFO and Bidya Bharati.