The Odisha government, formerly led by the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) under Naveen Patnaik, is under scrutiny for submitting conflicting affidavits to the Orissa High Court regarding the public release of the inquiry commission report on the missing keys of the Ratna Bhandar — the treasure vault of the Jagannath Temple in Puri.
According to official sources, the BJD government, in an affidavit dated January 29, 2024, opposed making the inquiry report public. However, another affidavit submitted on April 5, 2024, reflected a shift in stance, stating that the government intended to present the report in the Legislative Assembly.
This inconsistency has raised questions and confusion, prompting the High Court to seek a clear explanation. The next hearing is scheduled for the coming week.
Legal counsel Anup Kumar Mohapatra explained, “The court was initially shown the January affidavit. But upon record verification, it was revealed that two more affidavits were filed on April 5. The Home Department had then stated that verification was complete and the report would be placed before the Assembly.”
He added that the confusion around these submissions led them to appeal for clarity, after which the High Court granted the government more time to resolve the contradiction.
The controversy deepened in July 2024 when the newly elected BJP government forcibly opened the Ratna Bhandar’s inner chamber after 46 years by breaking three locks. This act exposed serious lapses in security protocols, especially since temple rules dating back to 1960 prohibit duplicate keys—yet duplicate keys mysteriously surfaced in 2018.
Adding to concerns, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) had flagged structural deterioration during its external inspection of the chamber in 2018, further complicating the sensitive issue surrounding the temple’s treasures.
