Bhubaneswar: Former Odisha bureaucrat V Karthikeya Pandian reportedly refused to appear before the police on Saturday in connection with the high-profile case of missing files from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO).
According to information, Pandian has informed the police through an email that he is currently abroad and will not be able to appear before the investigating officers in connection with the case.
In his mail, Pandian urged the police to record his statement via video conference. Alternatively, he will be able to appear before the police after returning from his foreign tour, he said.
The Capital Police had asked Pandian to appear on Saturday as part of the investigation into the alleged disappearance of files from the CMO during the BJD government.
It was not immediately clear as to whether the police accepts Pandian’s request for a virtual examination or issues a fresh notice asking him to appear after his return.
Pandian has been directed to appear before the investigating officer at 1 pm on July 25 as part of the ongoing investigation of the case registered in Capital police station on June 10. “From the information collected during the course of investigation, it appears that you may be acquainted with the facts and circumstances of the said case. Therefore, you are hereby required to appear before the undersigned at the Office of ACP Zone 1, Bhubaneswar UPD on 25.07.2026 at 1 AM for examination and to extend your full cooperation in the investigation,” it read.
Police also asked him to bring documents, records, electronic devices or other materials relevant to the investigation that may be in his possession or control.
Pandian, a 2000-batch IAS officer who served as Private Secretary to former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, took voluntary retirement before joining the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) ahead of the 2024 elections. He later exited politics following the party’s defeat in the 2024 elections.
Police had earlier summoned two other former bureaucrats — retired IAS officer Rajesh Verma, who served as Principal Secretary in the CMO from 2017 to 2019, and former IT secretary Manoj Mishra. Mishra appeared before investigators on July 18 and cooperated with the probe. Subsequently, police also issued summons to former bureaucrat U N Behera to appear before it in connection with the case.
Meanwhile, polce have already questioned 15 staff members who previously worked in the CMO and recorded their statements.