Cuttack: In a significant development in the high-profile death case of Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) Soumya Ranjan Mahapatra, the Orissa High Court has rejected the anticipatory bail pleas of DFO Sangram Keshari Behera and his cook Manmath Kumba, clearing the way for their trial on charges of murder and criminal conspiracy.

A single-judge bench of Justice V. Narasingh dismissed the petitions, upholding the lower court’s order to proceed against the trio — Soumya Ranjan’s wife Bidyabharati Panda, DFO Behera, and Kumba — under Sections 302 (murder) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Earlier, on July 9, the High Court had directed the trial court to take cognizance of the case and initiate proceedings against the accused. The fresh order marks a turni

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