Bhubaneswar: Former Crime Branch IG Arun Bothra, appeared as a crucial witness in the Patnagarh Additional District Judge court on Tuesday, in connection with the 2018 parcel bomb explosion case that claimed two lives, including a newlywed.
As the 60th witness, Bothra, who led the investigation, provided significant testimony in the case. He had cracked the mystery surrounding the parcel bomb explosion and arrested the prime accused, Punjilal Meher, an English lecturer.
During the investigation, Bothra recreated the entire crime scene and video-graphed how Meher manufactured the parcel bomb and sent it to the victim’s family through a courier.
The Crime Branch counsel has demanded the display of the CD containing the crime scene footage related to the case. However, the defence counsel has opposed this demand. The next hearing is scheduled for September 11.
The case dates back to February 23, 2018, when Soumyasekhar Sahoo and his grandmother were killed in an explosion while unwrapping a parcel they received as a wedding gift by courier. Soumyasekhar’s wife, Reema Sahoo, was critically injured in the incident.
According to reports, Meher had hatched a conspiracy to settle personal scores with Sanjukta, Soumyasekhar’s mother, after she took over as the new Principal of Bhainsa College.
