India, Aug. 2 -- Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has directed the suspension of Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer Sangram Keshari Behera, an accused in the Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) Soumya Ranjan Mohapatra death case.

Behera is currently serving as Director (Commercial) of the Odisha Forest Development Corporation (OFDC). The Chief Minister's direction comes days after the senior forest officer surrendered before a court in connection with the case and was remanded to judicial custody.

On July 27, Behera, the former Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Gajapati, surrendered before the Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate (SDJM) Court in Paralakhemundi through his counsel. He sought bail before the SDJM Court, but his...