In his report, Mr. Rai said the disappearance of the gold pots weighing 776 kg needed a detailed probe.
Each gold pot was given a serial number. Pots having serial numbers 1 to 1,000 were used till July 2002. Afterwards, pots bearing serial numbers 1,000 onwards were used at the temple.
One pot taken out on April 1, 2011 had the serial number ‘1988.’ The report surmises that this meant that there were at least 1,988 gold pots in various vaults underneath the temple.
If 822 gold pots were melted to meet the requirements of gold for various ornamental works in the temple, there should be 1,166 pots left. However, only pots with serial numbers till 397 could be found in the vaults. The report also noted that 30 per cent of the gold sent for melting and purification was lost.
The report also noted that based on the suggestion of the then trustee of the temple, photographs were taken of 1,022 precious items — including the 397 gold pots in vaults C and E — in August 2007. No trace could be found of the album, the photographs or the negatives, the report added.
