Police recover 47 silver ingots from century old Emar mutt by digging floors of 2 rooms
Saturday, 10 April 2021 (22:02 IST)
Puri:As many as 47 Silver ingots were recovered from the Emar Mutt in the presence of police, Magistrate, Endowment Inspectors and members of the Trust today.
The silver ingots were recovered on the basis of information provided by suspended Mahanta Rajagopal Ramanauj Das after digging the floor of two rooms of the Mutt .
Some valuable silver and bronze items were also recovered from the mutt yesterday.they included aA silver tree, 12 old swords and silver ornaments of the deities.
The trust body which assumed possession of the Emar mutt as per direction of the commissioner of endowment yesterday recovered the silver ingotss and other valuables from the Mutt assisted by police and magistrate on the second day today.
Sources said each silver ingot recovered today weighs between 32 to 35 kg. All these ingots would be shifted to police reserve line armoury strong room by this evening after weighing and sealing.
After completion of inventory it would be compared with the silver ingots recovered in 2010 . As many as 522 silver ingots were recovered from the Mutt in 2010.Mr Biswajit Senapati , the lawyer of Rajgopal said all these 47 ingots were in the inventory made by commissioner of endowments in 2010. Since Mutt has no treasury chest it was buried in two rooms of the mutt.
The Endownment Commissioner had suspended Mahanta Ramanuja Das from the mutt after he was arrested in 2011 along with others in connection with stealing of silver ingots from Emar mutt .
Later Rajgopal was released on bail. The commissioner of endowment stripped of all the powers of Rajgopal as Mahant and formed a Trust to look after the affairs of mutt.
Rajgopal had challenged his suspension and removal from hereditory trustee in the Odisha high court on the ground that the state government had not approved it. The case is still pending.
Mr. Senapati decried the way administration forced entry into mutt and taking possession while case in the high court is pending. Police did not allow him to meet his client, he alleged and said the matter would be brought to the knowledge of the High court .
In 2011 Dhenkanal.police caught two masons with silver ingots and trailed the link to Emar mutt from where they stole ingots while undertaking the repairing the building.
Puri police swung into action and recovered 522 silver ingots from the secret room weighing over 18 tons worth a hundred crore.These are now kept in the police armoury strong room in reserve police line under tight security.(UNI)
