Puri: The assistant secretary of Daitapati Nijog, Binayak Dasmohapatra today raised doubts over the amount of gold, silver and other precious jewelleries transferred by the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) to a bank locker, following instructions of the Supreme Court.
As per a report of the Odisha Gazette, a Hundi (donation box) was installed at the Natya Mandap in Puri Srimandir in the year 1983. In the last 34 years, 18.26 kg gold and 119.78 kg silver ornaments have been received as donation in the Hundi. While the approximate value of the gold is over Rs 5 crore, the silver ornaments are worth over Rs 50 lakhs. The jewellery was kept in a strong room inside the SJTA office till date.
However, after instructions from the Supreme Court, only 14.56 kg gold was transfered to a locker of the State Bank of India (SBI), alleged Binayak.
He demanded the temple administration should disclose the whereabouts of the remaining gold.
"Only 14 kg gold was deposited in the State Bank of India locker three days back. Where is the rest four to five kilogram gold, even if they spent it they should have informed about the nature of expenditure," said Binayak.
On the other hand president of the Daitapati Nijog, Ramakrushna Dasmohapatra said that the ornaments are finally secured after such a long gap. However, he demanded the reason behind the delay should be made public.
"They may have kept the rest four to five kg gold for repair of the 'Rahu Rekha' of Lord Jagannath as it is broken. Besides, a 'Chita' of the Lord has also been damaged. There is nothing else that can justify SJTA's decision to not transfer all the gold," said Ramakrushna.
Authorities of the SJTA have still not commented on the matter.