Lord Jagannath owns Emar Mutt’s silver: Odisha Law Minister cites previous ruling, backs transfer of silver ingots to SJTA

The long-running dispute over the silver ingots recovered from Emar Mutt has intensified, with Odisha Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan asserting that, as per judicial pronouncements, all properties of the mutt legally belong to Lord Jagannath. The statements thereby strengthen the claim of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA). 

Speaking to media persons, Harichandan said the silver should accordingly be treated as temple property and moved to the Ratna Bhandar, the sacred treasury of the shrine.

“According to the Siddha Mutt judgment, mutt properties belong to Lord Jagannath. Therefore, all rights over Emar Mutt’s silver should rest with the Lord. We are examining the legal process to effect the transfer process,” Harichandan stated, adding that the Odisha government would take necessary steps to remove technical hurdles.

He further said that public sentiment also favoured the transfer of the silver to the Ratna Bhandar.

Temple Administration Renews Pressure for Custody

The Minister’s remarks come a day after the SJTA renewed its demand for complete control over the 522 silver ingots, valued at nearly Rs 90 crore, recovered from the mutt during a 2011 police investigation into a theft.

The administration argues that historical and legal precedents recognise mutt properties as the assets of Lord Jagannath, and therefore, the silver should be handed over to the temple to ensure proper custody and accountability.

The silver remains under the custody of the Puri district administration, awaiting a final ruling from the Orissa High Court, where the matter has been contested for over a decade.

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Claims by Emar Mutt Trust Board

The dispute resurfaced recently after Emar Mutt’s interim trust board asserted its own ownership claim, contradicting SJTA’s interpretation of mutt property rights.

The contention revived scrutiny of long-standing precedents cited by the temple administration, which has maintained that mutts function within the temple ecosystem and historically act as custodial institutions rather than independent owners.