Vaishno Devi silver offerings case: Jammu court asks police for records

A Jammu court directed police to produce complete records in a case alleging large-scale irregularities in handling of silver offerings at the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine. Advocate Deepak Sharma challenged a Crime Branch action-taken report, demanding a formal FIR investigation into allegations that offerings worth over Rs 500 crore contained misappropriated and adulterated silver. The Chief Judicial Magistrate scheduled July 29 for the inquiry officer to appear and explain the agency's handling of the complaint involving approximately 20 tonnes of devotee offerings, with concerns raised about alleged cadmium contamination in fake silver.