Paralakhemundi: A three-member team of Odisha Crime Branch started questioning Gajapati Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Sangram Keshari Behera Saturday in connection with the death of Paralakhemundi Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) Soumya Ranjan Mohapatra.
According to a source, the probing team led by DSP Gyana Ranjan Mishra is quizzing all suspects in the death case that took place July 12, 2021.
It is pertinent to mention, Soumya’s postmortem carried out by the Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology (FM&T) at SCB Medical College and Hospital (SCBMCH) reported that he died after sustaining 95 per cent burn injuries caused on the intervening night.
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Former Gajapati Superintendent of Police Tapan Kumar Patnaik had previously granted DFO Behera a clean chit in relation to the case. However, in the alleged murder case, the DFO is a key suspect. The team members had also interrogated accused cook Manmath Kumbha August 16 in connection with the alleged murder of the ACF.
Four others who were also grilled inclduing two ACFs and two forest guards. The Crime Branch officials interrogated them at a special cell in Paralakhemundi police station to ascertain as to how a fire mishap, if any, took place at the government residence of Soumya.
The investigating officials may likely interrogate deceased ACF’s wife Bidyabharati Panda who is a key accused in the alleged murder.
PNN