Odisha Government to Release Swami Saraswati Murder Report

Odisha's Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan announced that the inquiry commission's report on the 2008 murder of VHP leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati will be made public soon, following years of calls for transparency from various organizations, including the VHP and Bajrang Dal. Swami Laxmanananda and four of his followers were killed at Jalespata Ashram, leading to widespread violence and multiple investigations that have yet to yield justice. Despite the commission's report being submitted in 2015, the previous BJD government did not release it, prompting demands for a CBI investigation into the case. The current BJP-led government aims to address these concerns, with Chief Minister Mohan Majhi discussing the report's release. Observers are hopeful that this could lead to accountability for the long-unsolved case. The High Court is currently reviewing a petition for a CBI probe, as claims of state-sponsored involvement in the murder persist.