Ex-HC Judge to head probe into missing keys of Puri Ratna Bhandar

The Odisha Government on Wednesday appointed Justice Raghubir Dash (retd) to head an inquiry into the circumstances leading to the 12th century keys of the “Ratna Bhandar” (treasury) of Jagannath Temple in Puri going missing.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had ordered a judicial probe into the key going missing, mandating that the probe would be completed within three months.

A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was also filed before the Orissa High Court seeking a CBI probe into the matter.

The petition names the CBI, Odisha government, Centre and the Puri Collector as parties in the case.

It also seeks setting up of a special committee to oversee the probe affairs concerning the missing key.

Notably, the high court had been monitoring the repair of “Jagamohan” (the hall facing the sanctum sanctorum) of the Jagannath temple.

A public outrage has triggered in Odisha ever since the keys of Ratna Bhandar, which stores the valuable jewellery of the Jagannath temple, were reported to have gone missing. (IANS)