Patnagarh Parcel Gift Blast: Court Reserves Decision On Punjilal’s Bail Plea

Bolangir: The Court of the Additional District Judge (ADJ) on Thursday reserved its judgment after hearing the bail application of Punjilal Meher, prime accused in the sensational parcel gift blast at Bholanathpada village under Patnagarh police limits on February 23 this year.

Meher is now lodged at the Patnagarh sub-jail.

He was arrested by the Crime Branch Special Investigation Team (SIT) on April 24. After his arrest, the SIT had taken him on a two-phase remand on April 26 and May 2. During the remand period, the SIT in an attempt to gather more tangible evidence against Meher, had taken him a number of times to Raipur from where he had booked the parcel bomb through the SkyKing courier with the help of an auto-rickshaw driver.

Besides, Meher was also taken to the Kantabanjhi from where he had boarded a train to Raipur.

The dreadful incident had taken place at Bholanathpada village on February 23 when the newly-wed couple Souma Sekhar Sahu, his wife Rimarani, while opening the parcel were grievously injured along with their distant related grandmother. While Soumya Sekhar and the grandmother succumbed to their injuries, Rimarani was rushed to VIMSAR at Burla from where she was shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack.

Following the request by Rimarani and her family, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had ordered a CBI SIT probe into the incident.