‘Ratna Bhandar keys stolen to loot jewellery’

On Ratna Bhandar keys controversy, Jaganath Sena, in an affidavit before the Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Puri, on Wednesday has brought serious allegations against the Shree Jaganath Temple Administration (SJTA).

The local outfit has alleged that the keys of Ratna Bhandar were stolen by hatching a conspiracy to loot the ornaments and jewelleries stored inside the depository of the temple.

It cited when there is existing law to deposit the keys in district treasury, here the law has been violated to meet a malafied intention. There is no possibility of involvement of common people or servitors in the case as it is only possible by higher officers, the Sena said.

The outfit demanded a through probe into the matter by the CBI to unravel the truth.

In the affidavit to be sent to Inquiry Commission, Priyadarshan Patnaik, the convener of the outfit sought to know how the 17-member committee had decided to enter Ratna Bhandar to take stock of its constructional condition, when they had no keys with them.

The Sena asked why the team did not disclose about the missing of the keys after returning from the first room.

It further added that the Chief Administrator of the SJTA leading the team had told media they did not feel worthy to enter the second room since they could look the inner view clearly through window by searchlight. The same day, in temple managing committee meet held in Bhubaneswar, the Puri Collector disclosed that the keys were not with them.

The Sena said the statements of both the top officers are contradictory and there is a deliberate attempt to hide truth.

To be noted here that on April 4 last, a 17-member committee led by CA SJTA Pradip Jena had entered the Ratna Bhandar to know its safety condition. But the team had not entered the second room where ornaments had been stored. It returned from the first room citing various reasons.

After the key fiasco came to light, the State Government constituted an inquiry commission by a retired Judge of the Orissa High Court, which will complete probe in next three months.