Patnagarh parcel bomb case verdict to be pronounced on May 28

Bhubaneswar, May 14: The much-awaited verdict in the sensational Patnagarh parcel bomb case will be delivered on May 28 by the Additional District Judge (ADJ) court in Patnagarh. The judgment was reserved on Wednesday after the final hearing concluded in the presence of the prime accused Punjilal Meher and his wife.

The defence submitted physical evidence on May 3, after which the court heard the concluding arguments from both sides. According to sources, the prosecution presented as many as 62 pieces of physical evidence to support its case.

The Supreme Court had earlier directed the trial court to pronounce its final verdict before June 17, 2025, to ensure a time-bound conclusion to the high-profile case.

The incident, which shocked the state, took place on February 23, 2018, when a parcel bomb—disguised as a wedding gift—exploded at the home of newlywed Soumya Sekhar Sahu in Patnagarh. The blast claimed the lives of Soumya and his grandmother Jemamani Sahu, while Soumya’s wife Reema Rani sustained critical injuries.

Investigations later revealed that the deadly gift parcel had been sent via courier from Raipur through Sambalpur and weighed around 2.1 kg.