Ratna Bhandar issue: Odisha govt seeks more time for making Justice Raghubir Das Commission report public

The Odisha government has sought more time from Orissa High Court on the issue of making the Justice Raghubir Das Commission report public in connection with the missing key of Ratna Bhandar of Srimandir in Puri.

The High Court has given the last chance to the State government in this regard. The next hearing on the matter is scheduled to be held in the first week of January 2024.

On the other hand, the petitioner alleged that the State government is only deferring the matter by taking more and more time for the last eight months.

“The court had ordered to file the counter within seven days on December 1, 2023. Originally, it was ordered on April 25 to file the counter till July 25. However, the government is only buying time. They have not filed the counter even after six dates and eight months of time. Today was another date and they requested the court to give them some more time.

The Court has given them another chance. The next hearing on the matter is scheduled to be held in the first week of January 2024,” said lawyer Anup Kumar Mohapatra.

“Naveen Patnaik government had set up an inquiry commission regarding the missing of Ratna Bhandar key. More than Rs 22 lakh was spent to prepare a report by the Commission. The 324-page report was submitted by the Commission on November 29, 2018. However, the report is yet to be made public. People are yet to know the truth behind the missing key,” rued petitioner Dilip Baral.