Paralakhemundi: Paralakhemundi police early Wednesday arrested Manmath Kumbh, a former cook, in connection with the much-hyped death of ACF Soumyaranjan Mohapatra. Kumbh was arrested from Kujasing village under Gumma block in Gajapati district, nearly five years after the incident, on the basis of a non-bailable warrant (NBW) issued by the SDJM court.
The court had issued the warrant for Kumbh’s arrest and production before it in connection with a case registered under Sections 302 and 120-B of the IPC. After his arrest, Kumbh was medically examined and produced before the SDJM court, police said. With the arrest, two of the three persons named in the case are now in judicial custody.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court Wednesday dismissed the plea filed by Soumyaranjan’s wife Bidya Bharati Panda challenging the High Court’s decision directing personal appearance before a lower court. If she fails to appear before the lower court, she could face further legal complications, according to reports. ACF Soumyaranjan had suffered severe burn injuries at his government quarters in Paralakhemundi July 12, 2021. He was initially admitted to a local hospital and later shifted to Ka taka for treatment.
He died July 13 while undergoing treatment. The incident had caused widespread concern in the state at the time. Following his death, Soumyaranjan’s family alleged that he had been murdered as part of a planned conspiracy and named his wife Bidya Bharati, then DFO Sangram Keshari Behera, and cook Manmath Kumbh as accused.
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