Paralakhemundi: Former Gajapati Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Sangram Behera, an 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 him an additional period of two weeks to surrender before the lower court.

Following his surrender, Behera moved a bail application before the SDJM Court. However, the court rejected his plea. He has subsequently approached the District and Sessions Court seeking bail.

After his tenure as the Gajapati DFO, Behera was serving as the Principal of the Forest Ranger College in Anugola from January 2023 to April 2026. He was appointed as OFDC Director in May this year.

The case pertains to the death of Assistant Conservator of Forests Soumya Ranjan Mohapatra, who was found critically injured with severe burn injuries at his official residence in Paralakhemundi on July 12, 2021. He was shifted to a private hospital in Cuttack, where he succumbed to his injuries the following day.

On July 14, 2021, Soumya Ranjan's family lodged a complaint alleging that he had been murdered. The complaint named 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.