Surendra Prasad Mohapatra

Bhubaneswar, Dec. 1: Odisha cadre Indian Forest Service officer Surendra Prasad Mohapatra is back home after having gone through the ordeal of the US laws after being accused of assaulting a hotel maid in Pennsylvania.

But the 1986-batch officer, who was placed under suspension in the wake of the July incident, is still awaiting a posting. Sources said chief minister Naveen Patnaik would take a call on Mohapatra, who was the regional chief conservator of forest, Sambalpur, before he went to the US on a training programme in July.

Still smarting from the humiliation, Mohapatra has kept himself confined to his home in the state capital. Few even among his relatives know about his return to the state.

“I will not say anything about the unfortunate incident. It is a sub-judice matter. Now, it’s a challenge for me to face life as it comes. I have to move on,” said Mohapatra, who has been busy performing puja and reading books.

Mohapatra was among the 30 officers who had gone to the US for a training workshop at Syracuse University. The group was staying in a Pennsylvania hotel where he was arrested on July 25 on charges of sexually assaulting a hotel maid.

Sources said Mohapatra had called the hotel reception to send someone to set the Internet connection in his room, so that he could communicate with his family in Bhubaneswar. However, the maid sent to help him fix the Internet connection in his room alleged sexual assault following which an FIR was lodged with the US police.

Upset and crestfallen, Mohapatra said: “Whatever is destined will happen. No one has any control over it. One should be prepared to face the situation. I will not bend. What more can I say?”

Mohapatra has already approached senior government officials and the minister of environment and forests to withdraw his suspension and allow him to join in his post.

“I have already spent 26 years in the state government and three years under Government of India. All senior officials know my character. I have nothing to explain to them,” he said. Now, Mohapatra’s family members are quite relieved. “They have settled down. It’s natural on the part of my wife and kids to be happy seeing me return home,” he said.

On the other hand, principal chief conservator of forest P.N. Padhi said: “The department is sympathetic to the cause of Mohapatra. His file is now pending with the chief minister. The chief minister will take a decision after scrutinising everything.”