Cuttack, April 12: Emar Mutt’s interim managing trustee has filed an intervention petition in Orissa High Court for proper maintenance and safe custody of the silver bricks seized from the mutt premises 45 days ago.

The 522 British era silver bricks valued nearly Rs 80 crores has been at the centre of a legal battle to determine ownership over it since a petition was filed by Emar Mutt’s hereditary trustee Mahanta Rajgopal Ramanuja Dash. Dash had claimed that the silver bricks were the “exclusive property” of the mutt.

The high court had on March 3 imposed restrictions on removing the 522 British era silver bricks out of the Puri’s Emar Mutt, where they were unearthed. The court, however, had ordered that the silver bricks shall remain in police custody. The commissioner of endowments had suspended Mahanta Rajgopal Ramanuja Dash after his arrest in a criminal case.

“After suspension of Mahanta Rajgopal Ramanuja Dash, the interest of the mutt can only be protected by the present trust board,” interim managing trustee Mahanta Sri Indra Raman Ramanuja Das said in his intervention petition, staking claim over the seized properties along with other properties in the mutt.

“The interim managing trustee will be affected if any order is passed by the high court without allowing him to be a party in the proceeding,” the intervention petition said.

The commissioner of endowments after suspending Mahanta Rajgopal Ramanuja Dash had on March 25 appointed an interim trust board with five members “until further arrangement for smooth management of the institution and to safeguard the mutt”.

The interim trust board, including five members, had on March 27 passed a resolution electing Mahanta Sri Indra Raman Ramanuja Das as interim managing trustee. Commissioner of endowments had approved the election on March 28.

The other members of the interim trust board included superintending inspector of endowments, Mahanta Sri Bijay Kumar Ramanuja Das (hereditary trustee of Kataki Mutt, Puri), Harinarayan Das and Mahanta Sri Sukharam Das (hereditary trustee Sri Hati Akhada Mutt, Puri).

Mahanta Sri Indra Raman Ramanuja Das filed the petition in the high court after seeking intervention of the superintendent of police, Puri, “for making arrangement for smooth management and proper safeguarding of the property of Emar Mutt”.

“Some police personnel other than the watching staff of police are entering the mutt on the plea of investigation and disturbing other properties,” the managing trustee had alleged seeking steps to ensure that only the staff given charge to watch the property enter the mutt premises. The interim managing trustee had further sought direction of the police chief to other employees entering the mutt premises not to move to other parts of the mutt and disturb other properties without prior permission.