Bhubaneswar: Former IAS officer and ex-aide to former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, V.K. Pandian, did not appear before the Capital Police on Saturday for questioning in connection with the alleged disappearance of key inquiry commission reports from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO), citing his stay abroad.

Pandian cites foreign visit, requests virtual interrogation

Pandian informed the Commissionerate Police through an email that he is currently outside the country and is therefore unable to appear physically before the investigating officers as directed.

In his communication, he requested the police to record his statement through video conferencing. If that is not feasible, he said he would appear before the police immediately after returning to India.

Pandian likley to appear before police station by August 15, says Bhubaneswar DCP

"Regarding the case of the two missing files from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) and VK Pandian's failure to appear before the Capital Police Station today, he has informed us through an email that he will appear before the police between August 12 and August 15.

After receiving our notice, Pandian responded and informed us that he is currently abroad. He is expected to return in August, and after his return, he will appear before the police station for questioning.

Since he has given a positive response and expressed his willingness to cooperate with the investigation, we are providing him with the opportunity to appear after he returns," said Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Jagmohan Meena

The Capital Police had issued a notice asking Pandian to depose before investigators on July 25 as part of the probe into the alleged disappearance of two important inquiry commission reports from the CMO.

What is the missing CMO files case about?

The case pertains to the alleged missing reports of the Justice A.S. Naidu Commission, which investigated the 2008 killing of VHP leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati in Kandhamal, and the Revenue Divisional Commissioner's inquiry into the 2016 fire tragedy at SUM Hospital and Medical College in Bhubaneswar.

According to the FIR lodged by Home Department Joint Secretary Sarat Chandra Marandi, the reports, along with several other important files, had been forwarded by the Home Department to the CMO. While most files were reportedly returned to the Home Department on June 4, 2024, following the Biju Janata Dal's defeat in the Assembly elections, the two inquiry reports were allegedly not returned.

The FIR states that the reports are currently untraceable and raises suspicion that they may have been intentionally removed, concealed, retained, destroyed or otherwise unlawfully dealt with.

Pandian, a 2000-batch IAS officer, served as the private secretary to former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik before opting for voluntary retirement from service. He later joined the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections but stepped away from active politics after the party's electoral defeat.

As part of the ongoing investigation, the Capital Police had also summoned former bureaucrats Rajesh Verma and Manoj Mishra. While Mishra has already appeared before the investigators, Verma reportedly did not turn up for questioning.

The police are continuing their investigation to ascertain how the inquiry commission reports went missing and whether any criminal wrongdoing was involved.