Bhubaneswar, 05 August (H.S.): The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) has issued a public advisory cautioning against fake appointment letters being circulated on social media, purportedly offering recruitment to the Jagannath Temple Squad.

According to the SJTA, the fraudulent letters falsely claim that candidates have been appointed under the Odisha Home Department. The documents carry a forged seal of the Shree Jagannath Temple Office and a fabricated signature purportedly of SJTA Chief Administrator Dr. Arabinda Padhee, creating a misleading impression of official approval.

The temple administration has categorically clarified that no such recruitment drive has been conducted either by the SJTA or any government authority. Officials have identified the documents as forged and urged the public to remain vigilant against such fraudulent offers.

Preliminary findings indicate that fake appointment letters have been issued in the names of at least 16 individuals. Authorities have taken serious note of the matter and initiated steps for a detailed investigation to trace those responsible for creating and circulating the forged documents.

The SJTA has announced that strict legal action will be taken against the perpetrators in accordance with the law.

Hemant Kumar Padhi, Officer on Special Duty (Security), confirmed that no official notification regarding such appointments had been issued. “There is no such recruitment. Based on available information, these documents are completely fake. Neither the government nor the temple administration has released any such advertisement. A thorough inquiry will be conducted to identify the source and those involved,” he said.

The administration has advised job seekers and the general public to verify all recruitment-related information only through official government or SJTA channels. It has also urged people not to rely on unauthorised messages or documents circulating on social media platforms.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda