Cuttack: In a major development in the mysterious death case of ACF Soumya Ranjan Mahapatra, the Orissa High Court has denied anticipatory bail to former Paralakhemundi DFO Sangram Keshari Behera and his cook, Manmath Kumbh.

A single-judge bench of Justice V Narasingh dismissed their petitions, paving the way for trial proceedings against the three main accused — Soumya Ranjan’s wife Bidyabharati Panda, Behera, and Kumbh — for murder and criminal conspiracy.

In July, the HC had declined to quash the cognizance order passed by the SDJM, Paralakhemundi, under Sections 302 (murder) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC against Bidyabharati and the DFO after years of legal back-and-forth, during which the accused received interim relief from arrest.

The case dates back to July 11, 2021, when ACF Mohapatra suffered severe burn injuries under suspicious circumstances at his residence in Paralakhemundi where his wife was also present. He was initially admitted to MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur with 90 per cent burns and succumbed during treatment at a private hospital in Cuttack.

Mohapatra’s father Abhiram had then pointed fingers at Behera and his daughter-in-law, alleging that they were in a relationship and killed his son. However, the Crime Branch had given a clean chit to Behera and his cook, but booked Bidyabharati for causing death by negligence and negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible matter. It also found no evidence to support allegations that the Behera and Bidyabharati wife were in a relationship.

The officer’s father subsequently approached the SDJM court, Parlakhemundi, which nearly two years later in April 2023, ordered that the trio be investigated and tried for murder and criminal conspiracy. Following which, police registered a case against Bidyabharati, Behera, and Kumbh, accusing them of committing murder.