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CHENNAI: In a single largest restoration yet, US authorities on Monday returned to India 307 antiquities valued at nearly $4 million (close to Rs 33 crore), most of them from among the stolen cache of idol smuggler Subhash Kapoor, besides private collectors. At least 10 of these idols were stolen from temples in Tamil Nadu, reports Jaya Menon.
Kapoor has been incarcerated in a prison in Tamil Nadu’s Trichy since 2012 pending the completion of his ongoing trial. Of the 307 antiquities, 235 were seized following investigation into Subhash Kapoor, “a prolific looter who helped traffic items from Afghanistan, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and other countries”, the Manhattan district attorney’s office said in an official release.
Five of the antiquities were seized following investigation into Nancy Wiener, and one after investigation into Nayef Homsi. The remaining 66 antiquities had been stolen from India by multiple smaller trafficking networks.
All the 307 antiquities were returned during a repatriation ceremony at the Indian Consulate in New York attended by India’s Consul General Randir Jaiswal and US Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) acting deputy special agent-in-charge Tom Lau, said the release. “We are proud to return hundreds of stunning pieces back to India,” said district attorney Alvin L Bragg Jr.
Kapoor has been incarcerated in a prison in Tamil Nadu’s Trichy since 2012 pending the completion of his ongoing trial. Of the 307 antiquities, 235 were seized following investigation into Subhash Kapoor, “a prolific looter who helped traffic items from Afghanistan, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and other countries”, the Manhattan district attorney’s office said in an official release.
Five of the antiquities were seized following investigation into Nancy Wiener, and one after investigation into Nayef Homsi. The remaining 66 antiquities had been stolen from India by multiple smaller trafficking networks.
All the 307 antiquities were returned during a repatriation ceremony at the Indian Consulate in New York attended by India’s Consul General Randir Jaiswal and US Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) acting deputy special agent-in-charge Tom Lau, said the release. “We are proud to return hundreds of stunning pieces back to India,” said district attorney Alvin L Bragg Jr.
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