Puri Srimandir administration seeks custody of Rs 90 crore silver ingots recovered from Emar mutt

The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) has renewed its demand for control over the massive cache of silver ingots recovered from Emar Mutt in 2011, urging the Odisha government to take necessary steps for the legal transfer of ownership to the Jagannath Temple.

The ingots, valued at around Rs 90 crore, were unearthed during a police investigation into a robbery attempt more than a decade ago. Since then, the silver has remained in the custody of the Puri district administration, while the ownership dispute continues in the Orissa High Court.

SJTA maintains that the properties of Emar Mutt, along with several other mutts in Puri, traditionally belong to Lord Jagannath. Citing earlier legal precedents where temple ownership was upheld, the administration argues that the silver should rightfully be placed under the temple’s control to prevent any possibility of mismanagement.

The dispute resurfaced after Emar Mutt’s interim trust board asserted its own claim over the silver, countering SJTA’s stand. 

The controversy dates back to February 2011, when police recovered 522 silver bars, each weighing between 35 and 40 kg, from concealed chambers inside the mutt. The discovery was made after the arrest of two individuals attempting to sell a few of the stolen pieces.

Emar Mutt, established in the 11th century and historically linked with royal patronage, once occupied nearly seven acres near the Jagannath Temple. Much of the structure was demolished in 2019 for the Shree Mandira Parikrama project, leaving only a fraction of its original area intact.

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With both sides holding firm to their claims, the final decision now rests with the High Court, which will determine the future custodian of the seized silver.