Patnagarh parcel bomb case: Court to pronounce verdict on May 28

After more than seven years of legal proceedings, the Additional District Judge (ADJ) Court in Patnagarh will pronounce its verdict in the infamous Patnagarh parcel bomb case on May 28. Reports added that the court has reserved its judgment following the conclusion of final arguments earlier this week.

The case, which shocked Odisha and the entire country in 2018, centres around the fatal bombing incident involving a parcel bomb that claimed two lives and severely injured another. 

The prime accused, Punjilal Meher, has remained in judicial custody throughout the trial and was recently brought to court from Bolangir jail under tight security for the final hearing. He had given his testimony to the court in March.

A wedding gift turned fatal

The incident occurred on February 23, 2018, when Soumyasekhar Sahu, a newlywed software engineer, opened a parcel delivered to his house in Bholanathpada of Patnagarh in Bolangir.

Mistaken for a wedding gift, the parcel exploded, instantly killing Soumyasekhar and his grandmother Jemamani Sahu, and critically injuring his wife Reema Rani Sahu.

Motive and investigation

The investigation, later taken over by the Odisha Crime Branch, led to the arrest of Punjilal Meher, an English lecturer and former principal of Jyoti Vikas College.

Meher was allegedly driven by revenge against Sanjukta Sahu, Soumyasekhar's mother, who had succeeded him as principal. According to police reports, Meher meticulously planned the attack, spending months researching how to assemble a bomb using tutorials found online.

He allegedly travelled to Raipur to post the explosive parcel under a fake name. Investigators seized crucial evidence, including gunpowder, firecrackers, and digital data linking him to the crime.

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The long-running trial saw testimonies from numerous witnesses, extensive forensic evidence, and intense courtroom exchanges. With the verdict scheduled for May 28, all eyes will be on the Patnagarh ADJ Court as it prepares to close one of the most chilling criminal cases in Odisha’s recent history.