Odisha Police have summoned former bureaucrat VK Pandian for questioning on July 25. The investigation involves the alleged disappearance of two key inquiry commission reports from the Chief Minister's Office during the previous Biju Janata Dal government.
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Odisha Police have issued a formal notice to V.K. Pandian, a former high-ranking bureaucrat and close aide to former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, requiring his presence for questioning on July 25, 2026. This summons is part of an ongoing criminal investigation into the reported loss of sensitive government inquiry reports from the Chief Minister’s Office during the tenure of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) administration.
The investigation focuses on two specific documents: the Justice A.S. Naidu Commission report regarding the 2008 Kandhamal riots and the Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC) inquiry report into the 2016 Sum Hospital fire, which claimed several lives. A formal complaint lodged on June 10, 2026, alleges that these official records were either removed, concealed, or destroyed while under the custody of the Chief Minister’s Office.
Pandian, who served as the private secretary to the former Chief Minister until 2024, has been directed by the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Zone I, in Bhubaneswar to cooperate with the probe. The police notice requires him to present any relevant documents, records, or electronic materials that may assist in determining the whereabouts of the missing files. The case is currently being handled by the Capital Police Station in Bhubaneswar.
This legal development follows a broader series of summons issued by state authorities to former top-ranking officials who held positions in the previous government’s Chief Minister's Office. Earlier, police recorded statements from retired IAS officer Manoj Mishra. Another retired IAS officer, Rajesh Verma—who now serves as the chairperson of the Commission for Air Quality Management—was also summoned but reportedly did not appear for his scheduled questioning. Authorities have indicated that further legal procedures may be initiated if these individuals fail to comply with subsequent notices.
The primary objective of this investigation is to establish accountability for the disappearance of these government documents and to clarify the chain of custody within the state's highest office during the previous administration. For those monitoring governance and administrative accountability in Odisha, the key focus remains on the findings of this investigation and whether the missing reports are recovered or if evidence of procedural misconduct is established by the police.