Odisha Orders Police Probe Into Vanishing High-Profile Inquiry Reports

Bhubaneswar, June 10: The Odisha government has initiated criminal proceedings over the mysterious disappearance of two sensitive inquiry reports linked to major incidents in the state’s recent history, raising fresh questions about the handling of official records at the highest levels of administration.

The Home Department has requested the registration of an FIR and a comprehensive investigation after the reports could not be traced despite extensive searches. The missing documents include the Justice A.S. Naidu Commission report on the killing of VHP leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati and his associates in Kandhamal, as well as the inquiry report into the fatal fire tragedy at SUM Hospital in Bhubaneswar.

Government records indicate that both reports had been officially forwarded to the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) through the Chief Secretary’s office for necessary action several years ago. However, during a recent review of official files, authorities found no trace of either report.

The issue gained significance after numerous files and documents were returned to various departments following the change of government in 2024. While several records were recovered, the two inquiry reports remained unaccounted for.

Officials have expressed concern that the documents may have been deliberately withheld, removed, concealed, or destroyed. Given the public importance of both cases, the government has sought a detailed police investigation to establish how the reports went missing and to fix responsibility.

The development is expected to trigger political debate, with the disappearance of records related to two major public-interest inquiries likely to come under intense scrutiny in the days ahead.