In a major security and administrative lapse, two highly sensitive files — including a judicial commission report on the murder of Swami Lakshmanananda Saraswati and an inquiry report into the deadly SUM Hospital fire — have gone missing from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), triggering a major political storm in Odisha.
The development took a formal turn on Wednesday evening when Sarat Chandra Marandi, Joint Secretary in the Home Department, lodged a written complaint at Capital Police Station. Acting swiftly, the police registered FIR No. 460/2026 under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) — 305, 316(2), 238(C), 241, and 61(2)(B) — and entrusted the investigation to Inspector B.B. Hota.
According to the complaint, the files were officially sent from the Home Department to the CMO. While other files were returned, these two critical documents have been untraceable since June 4, 2024 — the day of vote counting in the general elections. Extensive searches within the CMO reportedly yielded no results, prompting the Joint Secretary to approach the police.
The Missing Files
The two missing files are:
- The A.S. Naidu Commission Report on the murder of Swami Lakshmanananda Saraswati and his disciples.
- The Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC)-level inquiry report into the tragic fire at SUM Hospital that claimed several lives.
Both files are considered extremely sensitive, dealing with high-profile cases that have long remained in the public eye and carry significant political and administrative implications.
In his complaint, Marandi highlighted that the files were missing from the CMO despite multiple attempts to trace them. He specifically noted that June 4, 2024, marked the disappearance, even as other departmental files moved back and forth normally between the Home Department and the CMO during that period.
Capital Police Station officials have confirmed that the matter is being treated with utmost seriousness. “The complaint has been registered and investigation has begun,” said the station officer.
Political Ripples
The disappearance of such sensitive documents from the heart of the state administration has already sparked intense speculation and debate across political circles. Questions are being raised about internal security protocols, possible lapses in file tracking systems, and the timing of the disappearance coinciding with the high-stakes election period.
As the investigation unfolds, all eyes are on whether the police can recover the files and identify how such a serious breach occurred within the Chief Minister’s Office.
This case is likely to dominate headlines and political discourse in the coming days.
