Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said, “These antiques were stolen from multiple locations by gangs of smugglers. These gang leaders showed no respect for the cultural and historical significance of the objects.”
Image Credit source: PTI
America In the midst of ever-improving relations, after nearly 15 years of investigation, returned 307 antiquities, including many items of historical importance, to India. stealing or smuggling was taken out of the country. The cost of these items is around Rs 32.93 crore, or 40 lakh US dollars. most of these things Notorious businessman Subhash Kapoor were recovered from near Subhash Kapoor is currently in jail.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg on Monday announced the return of 307 antiques worth about US$4 million to India. Bragg said 235 of these items were confiscated by the Manhattan District Attorney’s office in a raid conducted against Kapoor. Subhash Kapoor “helps smuggle goods from Afghanistan, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand and other countries.”
Gangs of smugglers stole from many places: DA
According to the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, the antiques were handed over to India during a ceremony at the Indian Consulate in New York. India’s Consul General Randhir Jaiswal and US Department of Homeland Security’s Investigation Acting Deputy Special Agent-in-Charge Christopher Lau attended the event.
District Attorney Alvin Bragg said: “These antiques were stolen from multiple locations by gangs of smugglers. The kings of these gangs showed no respect for the cultural and historical importance of the objects.” “We are proud to have returned hundreds of these items to the people of India,” he said.
US returned 157 vintage items last year
Last year also, America had returned 157 antiques during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to America. Both PM Modi and US President Joe Biden had expressed commitment to “strengthen our efforts to combat the theft, trafficking and trafficking of cultural goods”. Last year, the US returned 248 antiques worth an estimated 1.23 billion rupees, or $15 million, to India.
The District Attorney’s (DA)’s office issued an arrest warrant for Subhash Kapoor in 2012 and in November 2019, Kapoor and his seven co-defendants were charged with conspiracy to smuggle stolen antiquities. In July 2020, the DA’s office filed paperwork on extradition for Kapoor, who has been jailed in India since 2012.
Among the antiquities being returned from Wiener is the statue of Vishnu and Lakshmi with Garuna, which is said to be from the 11th century AD. In 2022 alone, the District Attorney’s Office returned 682 antiquities, valued at more than US$84 million.
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