Bhubaneswar: A massive political storm has erupted in Odisha on Sunday following disclosures that two critical judicial inquiry commission reports, instituted during the previous Naveen Patnaik-led Biju Janata Dal (BJD) government, have gone missing from the state’s administrative records.
The controversy came to light after state Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan revealed that officials could not trace the physical files during preparation to table the reports before the State Assembly. Despite a coordinated search spanning the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), the Home Department, and the Law Department, the documents remain untraceable.
Unconfirmed reports suggest that one of the missing documents could be the highly sensitive judicial inquiry report on the 2008 assassination of VHP leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati, an event that triggered widespread communal violence in Kandhamal.
What Did The Law Minister Say
“During the previous BJD administration, two critical inquiry commission reports went missing from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO). Our government is currently reviewing the matter and will provide a full disclosure at the appropriate time. We are committed to thoroughly investigating the previous government’s misdeeds. Under the direction of the Chief Minister, anyone found guilty will face the strictest legal consequences.”
Govt Will Assess Veracity Of Claims: CM
Responding to media queries amid the escalating row, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi stated that the government is ready to investigate if the allegations are grounded in truth. He, however, assured the public that his administration will assess the veracity of such claims. “Whoever makes an allegation, there must be truth to it. If such an allegation comes, the government will conduct an inquiry. Is there a need for that here? In many places, various leaders and MLAs say many things. Whether there is truth in them or not, the government will definitely investigate,” he said.
BJD Launches Fierce Counter-Attack
The Opposition BJD fiercely refuted allegations of misdeeds during its previous tenure, turning the tables on the ruling BJP by accusing it of staging a political drama to shield its own failures.
Senior BJD MLA and former minister Dr Arun Kumar Sahoo pointed out that every government file moves through a recorded, multi-level hierarchy — from Section Officer to the Chief Secretary and the CMO. He demanded that the government make the file movement registers and CCTV footage public to identify the exact stage of disappearance. He further questioned how physical hard copies could simply vanish if the state’s online file management system is functioning as effectively as the current government claims.
The BJD further accused the Mohan Majhi administration of using the “missing files” narrative to distract the public from recent controversies under the current government. Sahoo highlighted two major incidents where inquiries have yet to be made public – the 2024 incident when idol of Lord Balabhadra slipped on the Charamala (makeshift ramp) and fell on servitors during the Pahandi (ceremonial procession) of Rath Yatra, and The alleged assault of an Assistant Section Officer (ASO) by the son of the then-Governor, which sparked widespread outrage.
“Is the Government staging the drama of missing files to protect a particular individual?” Sahoo questioned, demanding that the state accept moral responsibility for the lapse.
BJP Hits Back
Khurda MLA Prasanta Jagadev took aim at former Law Minister Arun Sahoo, claiming the missing files disappeared on his watch during the previous BJD government. Dismissing Sahoo’s comments as a deflection tactic, Jagadev remarked, “The files went missing under the BJD regime, and I suspect Sahoo was involved. Once the CM is apprised of the situation, an official probe will be launched.”
BJP MLA Laxman Bag also dismissed the BJD’s defences as mere political posturing. “If the opposition possessed such definitive and precise information regarding this matter, why didn’t they approach the administration or the police first?” Bag asked, challenging the BJD to present solid evidence.
