Cuttack: Orissa high court on Saturday rejected the anticipatory bail plea of Bidyabharati Panda, widow of assistant conservator of forests (ACF) Soumya Ranjan Mohapatra, in the 2021 sensational death case, citing the absence of any distinguishing ground to grant her protection from arrest.Soumya Ranjan suffered 90% burn injuries under mysterious circumstances at his govt quarters in Parlakhemundi on July 11, 2021, and died two days later while undergoing treatment in Cuttack. His father, Abhiram Mohapatra, alleged foul play and accused Panda, then divisional forest officer (DFO) Sangram Keshari Behera, and family cook Manmath Kumbha of murder.Though the crime branch initially gave the accused a clean chit, the SDJM court in Parlakhemundi took cognisance of the murder complaint on April 19, 2023, following a protest petition and additional evidence. The high court declined to quash proceedings against Panda in July 2025. Her latest plea followed Supreme Court’s dismissal of her petition on Sept 28, 2026, which left her free to seek anticipatory bail before the appropriate forum.While rejecting the pre-arrest bail plea, Justice V Narasingh observed that Panda had been accused of murder under Section 302 of the IPC, with the alleged crime having its genesis in an illicit relationship between her and the then DFO, who is also an accused in the case.Taking note of materials placed before the court, Justice Narasingh pointed out that the order taking cognisance of the murder offence had attained finality. Besides, Behera’s anticipatory bail rejection by the high court had been upheld by Supreme Court. Finding no distinguishing feature to treat Panda’s plea differently, the judge invoked the Latin maxim, “Ubi eadem ratio, ibi idem jus” — where the reason is the same, the justice is the same.Justice Narasingh, however, clarified that Panda was free to appear before the court concerned and take steps in accordance with law. It directed that, in such an eventuality, the trial court should consider her stand independently and on its own merits, without being influenced by the rejection of her anticipatory bail plea.