By Express News Service
BHUBANESWAR: The State Government on Wednesday appointed retired judge of the Orissa High Court Raghubir Dash as the chairman of the inquiry commission constituted to probe the case of missing keys of Ratna Bhandar of Puri Jagannath temple.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik approved the name of Justice Dash for the post and the commission will submit its report within three months in August after the car festival on July 14. Naveen had announced on June 4 setting up of a judicial commission to inquire into the circumstances under which the keys of Ratna Bhandar disappeared.
The State Government announced judicial probe into the matter after a state-wide outcry over the missing key of Ratna Bhandar. Opposition political parties had demanded a clarification on it from Naveen. Official sources said the judicial commission will focus on the circumstances under which Ratna Bhandar’s keys went missing and why it was not found. The terms of reference of the commission will be announced soon.
The Shri Jagannath Temple Rules, 1960 has details about Ratna Bhandar and how jewelleries and other valuables should be deposited. The rules state that the audit of the ornaments inside Ratna Bhandar should be conducted every six months. The rules also mention who is the custodian of the ornaments, how the audit should be conducted and who will be in charge of the keys. Ratna Bhandar was last opened in 1985.
As per the practice of the 12th century shrine as well as the rule book, the ornaments that are not being used are kept in the inner chamber of Ratna Bhandar. The chamber has two locks that are sealed. The locks can be opened only with the special permission of the State Government. The keys of the locks are to be submitted by the temple administration at the Government treasury, as per practice and rules.
The chamber containing the ornaments used during festivals will also be secured with two locks. One of the keys would be with the SJTA chief administrator and the other with Pattajoshi Mohapatra, the person appointed to deal with the temple’s affairs. The rules said the keys of the chamber containing the ornaments adorned by the Trinity during daily rituals will be with Bhandar Mekap, the caretaker of the deities’ ornaments and clothes.
Sevayat suspended for ritual delay
Bhubaneswar: A Biribata Samartha Sevak was placed under suspension by Sri Jagannath temple Office, Puri for delaying rituals of the deities for about three hours on Wednesday. “Neither Ramahari Samartha nor his workers intentionally turned up to perform Biribata Samartha Seva on the day which delayed rituals of the deities for around three hours,” stated a release issued by Sri Jagannath Temple Office. Disciplinary action has been contemplated against Ramahari under Section 21-A of Shree Jagannath Temple Act, 1954 and he is debarred from performing any duties in the temple during the suspension period, the release stated.
