Bhubaneswar: Departing from its pre-election promises, the Odisha Government, now led by the BJP, informed the Orissa High Court that the report of the Justice Raghubir Das Commission of Inquiry into the missing Ratna Bhandar keys cannot be made public.

The High Court sought clarification from the State Government after a petitioner argued that lakhs of Lord Jagannath devotees wish to know the circumstances under which the Ratna Bhandar keys went missing and how they were later recovered. The petitioner also insisted that the inquiry report be made public, as devotees are eager to learn about the status of the gold and jewellery stored in the Ratna Bhandar.

In response, the Odisha Government submitted an affidavit to the High Court, stating that the report cannot be disclosed. Following this, the High Court scheduled the next hearing for March 12.

Notably, during the 2024 General Elections, the BJP had promised to expedite the investigation into the Ratna Bhandar key issue and restore the auditing process of its inventory. The party had also repeatedly assured the inquiry report would be made public once it came to power in the State.

During its election campaign, BJP leaders frequently raised the Ratna Bhandar key issue, criticising the previous BJD government for its handling of the matter.

Background of the matter

The controversy dates back to April 2018, when officials of the 12th-century Jagannath Temple discovered that the keys to the Ratna Bhandar were missing while preparing for a structural inspection as per an Orissa High Court order.

Following a hue and cry, the then Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik ordered a judicial inquiry into the matter. The Justice Raghubir Das Commission, formed by the State Government, submitted a 324-page report in November 2018.

The Ratna Bhandar consists of two chambers: Bhitar Bhandar (Inner Treasury) and Bahar Bhandar (Outer Treasury). The status of its gold and jewellery inventory remains a subject of concern for devotees of Lord Jagannath.