Odisha News / VK Pandian Summoned in Missing File Probe

Bhubaneswar, Jul 22: The Capital Police on Wednesday issued a notice to former bureaucrat V.K. Pandian in connection with the missing Naidu Inquiry Commission file case, directing him to appear before the ACP, Zone-I, Bhubaneswar by July 25 at 11 AM, officials said.

Pandian, who served for years as the private secretary to former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, has been summoned as part of the ongoing investigation into how the commission’s file went missing from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO). When the BJP government assumed office in 2024, all files from the CMO were returned to the Home Department, except the Naidu Commission file.

Police Commissioner Suresh Debadatta Singh said that the investigation is progressing step by step. “The probe is advancing. Leads have emerged during questioning, and we are following the trail of the missing file,” he said. The Commissioner and DCP have already briefed Chief Minister Mohan Majhi on the developments.

Earlier, notices were served to two former officials. Former IT Secretary Manoj Mishra appeared before police and presented his statement, while Ex-IAS officer Rajesh Verma did not attend citing ill health. Mishra’s interrogation reportedly provided leads that prompted the police to summon Pandian.

Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari said the investigation will trace how the file moved from the Home Department and through whose hands it passed. “Step by step, the probe will establish accountability. Whoever is found responsible will face action,” he stated.
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The missing file has raised questions about administrative accountability and transparency, given its sensitive nature. Police sources indicated that simultaneous inquiries are being conducted to determine whether negligence or deliberate suppression was involved.

As the investigation intensifies, the spotlight remains on Pandian’s role during his tenure in the CMO, with authorities determined to unravel the circumstances behind the disappearance of the Naidu Commission file.