Missing keys: Panel asks Puri collector to submit affidavit

The judicial commission probing the disappearance of the keys of the 12-century Jagannath Temple's treasury, today asked the Puri district administration to submit its affidavit by August 7.

The one-man commission headed by retired Orissa High Court judge, Justice Raghubir Dash today held the first hearing at the Circuit House here.

The hearing remained incomplete as the district administration has so far not submitted a detailed information pertaining to the issue.

"The administration has been directed to submit it in the form of an affidavit with detailed information during its next hearing at Cuttack slated for August 7," Justice Dash said.

"After receiving the affidavit from the district administration, the commission would decide its future course of action," he said.

The commission has received four affidavits - two from the servitors and two from separate organisations.

Justice Dash also said that the commission has decided not to hold hearings, on the four affidavits it had received earlier, as there is no proper evidence or facts relating to the missing keys of the Ratna Bhandar.

The Odisha government, on June 6, had appointed Justice Raghubir Dash as chairman of the commission of inquiry to probe the missing keys of Ratna Bhandar.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had ordered a judicial probe on June 4.

Patnaik had ordered a judicial probe the incident in the face of a state-wide hue and cry over the missing of the Ratna Bhandar keys.

The Opposition parties had expressed apprehensions over the safe custody of the precious ornaments in the Ratna Bhandar.

The judicial commission has been asked to submit its report to the state government within three months.

In its terms of reference, the commission has been urged to probe the circumstances under which the Ratna Bhandar keys went missing.