Parcel bomb blast accused granted bail to attend mother's last

The Orissa High Court on Wednesday granted interim bail of four days to Balangir parcel bomb blast accused Prof Punjilal Meher to attend the last rites of his mother. Justice S K Sahoo granted conditional bail from January 24 to January 28 to Meher who had allegedly sent a bomb masqueraded as a wedding gift to a couple that exploded killing two persons including the groom in 2018.

The 60-year-old former college teacher lost his mother last week and the high court had allowed him to go home for a day on parole to pay his last respects to mother. On January 17, he again approached the court seeking bail to attend the last rites. Allowing the bail, the judge directed him not to speak to the media during the bail period.

The local police station has also been instructed to keep a vigil on him. The police alleged that Meher masterminded the blast out of jealousy as the groom's mother had replaced him as the principal of a college.