Probe panel on Ratna Bhandar missing key starts functioning

The Judicial Commission set up by the Odisha government to probe the missing key of the inner chamber of Ratna Bhandar, the treasury of Lord Jagannath, today officially started functioning from here.

The judicial commission headed by retired judge of Orissa High Court Justice Raghubair Das issued notification inviting statements of facts and supported by affidavits. The commission has fixed July 25 as the last date for receiving affidavits.

"There will be a sitting of the commission at the Puri Circuit House on July 30 to determine the procedure to be adopted in the Inquiry," Dash told the newsmen here after attending the office of the commission at the Circuit House here.

Following statewide hue and cry over the missing key of the Lord Jagannath's treasury housed inside the 12th Century shrine at Puri, the Odisha Government had ordered setting up of a judicial commission to inquire into the matter.

The commission among other things has been asked to examine the sequence of events and circumstances leading to the reported non-availability of the key and the role, conduct and accountability of individuals or groups or the authorities for the incident.

As per Shree Jagannath Temple Rules of 1960, gold, silver, precious stones and other jewelleries which are never used, shall remain under double lock in the inner chamber with the seal of the committee, the keys being deposited by the Temple administrator in the government treasury.