Odisha Notifies ToR For Probe Into Missing Ratna Bhandar Keys

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Thursday issued a notification regarding the Terms of Reference (ToR) of the Commission of Inquiry for probing the missing keys of Ratna Bhandar of Jagannath Temple in Puri.

The commission, comprising retired judge of Orissa High Court Justice Raghubir Das, will submit its report within three months from the date of publication of the notification dated 8.6.2018.

According to the notification, the commission will inquire into sequence of events and circumstances leading to the reported non-availability of the keys of the inner chamber of Ratna Bhandar, the role, conduct and accountability of individuals/groups/authorities and any other matter connected with or incidental thereto as the commission may consider appropriate, including measures to be taken to avoid recurrence of such event in future.

The headquarters of the commission shall be in Bhubaneswar. However, the commission may hold the inquiry in Puri or any other place as may be considered necessary for the purpose, the notification stated.

On Wednesday, Puri district administration officials found a set of keys in a strong box of the district record room. Collector Arvind Agarwal had informed that the keys were found in a sealed envelope carrying a tag ‘duplicate keys of Bhitara Bhandar’.

Meanwhile, BJP spokesperson Pitambar Acharya demanded a forensic examination to ascertain that under what circumstances the keys was kept in record room instead of treasury.

On the other hand, Collector Arvind Agrawal said that he is ready to face any probe as everything is recorded in pen and paper.