Bhubaneswar, Oct. 31 -- The Orissa High Court has rejected the anticipatory bail plea of Bidyabharati Panda, wife of deceased Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) Soumya Ranjan Mahapatra, in the much-discussed 2021 death case.

The rejection of her pre-arrest bail application has increased the possibility of her arrest. Earlier, the Supreme Court had dismissed her Special Leave Petition (SLP), while the High Court had also rejected two other petitions filed by her.

The case dates back to the night of July 12, 2021, when Soumya Ranjan suffered severe burn injuries under suspicious circumstances at his official residence in Paralakhemundi. He died on July 13 while undergoing treatment.

Following the incident, his father lodged a complai...