Srimandir files missing case: BJP lodges police complaint 

Amid the row over the disappearance of Jagannath Temple Administration (JTA) files, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday lodged a complaint at the Capital Police station in Bhubaneswar. 

A delegation of the party led by Brahmagiri MLA, Lalitendu Bidyadhar Mohapatra visited the Capital Police Station and lodged a complaint. 

Alleging that the files have been removed intentionally, the party in its complaint has demanded exemplary punishment against the officials involved. 

“Two important files of the Jagannath Temple Administration (JTA) have gone missing. If JTA files go missing from the Odisha Law Department, there can be nothing more unfortunate,” said the legislator. 

“Concerning the Vedanta issue, the government received a rap on the knuckles from the Supreme Court. The country’s apex court has given several negative comments on the acquisition of Amruta Manohi land. We believe there could be some things related to the Chief Minister and senior officers, which once made public would damage the reputation of the government. Therefore, the files have been removed intentionally. Today we lodged a complaint at the Capital Police Station demanding exemplary punishment against the involved officials,” he added. 

The matter came to the fore after the Deputy Secretary of the Law Department recently wrote to all the sections under it to locate two files on a priority basis.

“Two files of JTA Section bearing No. JTA-55/2006(pt) and JTA-06/2014 are untraceable in the records of the JTA Section. Therefore, it is hereby requested to all sections of this Department to conduct search operation in their records on a priority basis and submit the said files, if available, to JTA Section immediately for compliance of order of the High Court,” read the department’s letter. 

The Deputy Secretary also directed the sections to intimate in case the files remain untraceable for further necessary action.

The files are required for compliance with an order of the Orissa High Court, the letter mentioned.