Bhubaneswar: Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) has initiated a probe to ascertain if any servitor from the Puri shrine holds the position of a trustee at the newly consecrated Jagannath Temple in Digha, West Bengal.The investigation follows reports citing Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s statement about one Rajesh Daitapati from the Puri shrine being on the Digha temple trust board.An SJTA official stated they are verifying reports about the servitor and will seek the trustee list from the Digha temple trust board.”We are aware of some media reports claiming that Rajesh Daitapati is a trustee of the Digha temple. We are trying to verify it,” an official of the SJTA said.SJTA sources suspect Rajesh Daitapati could be servitor Ramakrushna Dasmohapatra, who had previously caused controversy by making false claims about facilitating excess Puri shrine wood for the creation of Digha temple idols.When contacted, Dasmohapatra declined to comment. The SJTA maintained that Puri shrine servitors should not be involved in the management of other temples. An official noted that while not legally binding, servitors should avoid involvement in Digha shrine management amid the row over it being called ‘Jagannath Dham’.Law minister Prithiviraj Harichandan had recently stated, “Servitors of Puri Jagannath Temple may attend as guests at other shrines. But they are not supposed to offer any services outside the Jagannath Temple. An SOP will soon be issued by SJTA on the roles, responsibilities and obligations of the servitors.”Puri Jagannath Temple servitors and citizens demanded an investigation into Rajesh Daitapati’s appointment as a trustee in the Digha shrine. Servitor Somnath Khuntia requested SJTA to provide clarity by contacting Digha temple trust or West Bengal govt on the issue. “This is not acceptable,” Khuntia said.Sudarsan Pattnaik, sand artist and former Jagannath Temple managing committee member, said, “SJTA and govt should ensure that none from Puri Jagannath Temple remain in the Digha shrine trust board.”