Suspended Forest Officer Surrenders in Odisha Elephant Carcass Transport Case
Suspended deputy ranger Binaya Kumar Bisi, who was booked for the alleged illegal transportation of an elephant carcass after cutting it into pieces, surrendered before the investigating officer on Monday in Berhampur, Odisha.
Bisi, the deputy ranger of the Belghar range in Kandhamal district's Baliguda forest division, had been on the run until his surrender. He had already been placed under suspension for allegedly hiding facts and tampering with evidence related to the elephant's death.
High Court Order and Investigation Details
Bisi surrendered after obtaining an interim order from the state high court, which prevents his arrest for the next six weeks and requires him to cooperate with the investigation.
"As per the high court order, we can't arrest him. But his statement will be recorded in the presence of a magistrate," said Manoranjan Bagha, assistant conservator of forests (ACF) in Baliguda, who is leading the investigation.
Bagha added that authorities have already arrested 11 individuals, including six poachers allegedly involved in killing the elephant by electrocution, and others who assisted the deputy ranger in shifting and burying the elephant's body parts.
Additional Suspensions and Notices
In addition to Bisi, assistant conservator of forests Suryakant Behera was also placed under suspension. The government has issued a show cause notice to Ghanashyam Mahant, divisional forest officer of Baliguda, for alleged negligence in probing the elephant's death.
The case highlights ongoing issues in wildlife crime enforcement in the region, with multiple officials facing disciplinary actions for their roles in the incident.
