4 Months On, No FIR Yet in Vaishno Devi’s Rs 550-Crore Silver ‘Scandal’
Four months after a complaint alleged adulteration and pilferage of nearly 20 tonnes of silver offerings made by devotees at the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, Jammu and Kashmir Police have yet to register an FIR in the matter.
Police have told a court that statements of senior Shrine Board officials have not yet been recorded, despite considering their examination important to the investigation.
The case stems from a complaint filed by advocate Deepak Sharma, who has sought registration of an FIR over alleged irregularities involving silver offerings estimated to be worth around Rs 550 crore.
A status report on the police enquiry was submitted before the Chief Judicial Magistrate in Jammu on September 19 by the DySP, Bhawan. The court has allowed additional time for the enquiry and listed the matter for October 10.
What Police Told the Court
According to the status report, police have questioned Shrine Board employees, Pujaris, as well as CRPF and Jammu and Kashmir Police personnel deployed at Bhawan.
Investigators have also examined the procedure followed for collecting and storing the material officially referred to as “white metal” in the Strong Room.
However, the police report states that senior officials at Bhawan have not yet been questioned. Their statements are considered important because of their roles in supervision and the handling of the material.
Police have also sought preservation of the complete CCTV footage covering the collection, storage and transportation of the silver from the shrine to Katra. They have additionally requested standard operating procedures, relevant rules and Mint records.
The documents, comprising 116 pages, were handed over to investigators on August 18.
Officials have described the electronic evidence as extensive and said it needs to be examined systematically. Investigators are expected to compare the CCTV trail with witness statements to establish the movements of people involved and identify any discrepancies.
Complainant Seeks Accountability
Reacting to the police submission, advocate Deepak Sharma said the status report itself highlights what he considers a major gap in the enquiry.
“The police have formally admitted before court that senior officials are yet to be examined,” Sharma said, arguing that officials responsible for supervision, custody, transportation, accounting and decision-making should be questioned to determine responsibility.
Sharma has also stressed the need to preserve the original material, samples, resultant silver bars, CCTV footage, Mint documents and audit records.
He said he would continue seeking registration of an FIR and a fair and scientific investigation into the allegations.
The next hearing in the matter is scheduled for October 10, when the court is expected to consider the progress of the enquiry.
News Source : Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.
