Lok Sabha Question No. 1379 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-02-11
Subject: Repatriation of Artefacts
Ministry: CULTURE
Asked by: POONAM  MAHAJAN

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1379 TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.02.2019

## REPATRIATION OF ARTEFACTS

## 1379. SHRIMATI POONAM MAHAJAN:

Will the Minister of CULTURE be pleased to state:

- (a) the number of stolen antiques and historic artefacts that were repatriated back to the country during each of the last five years from various countries, country-wise and year-wise;
- (b) whether the Government took action against antique dealers responsible for the theft during the said period; and
- (c) if  so,  the  details  thereof  including  the  number  of  antique  dealers  extradited  to  the country during the said period, country-wise?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR CULTURE AND MINISTER OF STATE FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

(DR. MAHESH SHARMA)

- (a) Detail  of  the  antiquities  stolen  from  centrally  protected  monuments  during  last  five years are attached in Annexure -1. Antiquities retrieved back to the country during each of last five years from various countries are attached herewith as Annexure -2.
- (b) The  ASI  does  not  have  its  own  enforcing  agency  and  such  action  is  taken  from various enforcing agencies of respective state from where antiquities are stolen.
- (c) Subhash Chandra Kapoor a U.S. Citizen was extradited from Germany.

## ANNEXURE I

## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1379 FOR 11. 02. 2019

## Year-wise list of stolen antiquities from centrally protected monuments

## Year-2014

|   Sl. No. | State     | Name of Monument/Sites& District                                       | Name of object                                       | Date of theft                           | Action taken   | Status               |
|-----------|-----------|------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------|----------------|----------------------|
|         1 | Bihar     | Rukmani Sthan, Jagdishpur, Nalanda                                     | One headless Buddha in sitting posture stone Statue  | 31.01.2014                              | F.I.R. Lodged  | Yet to be recovered  |
|         2 | Karnataka | Panchalingeswara Temple, Govindanahalli, District -Mandya,             | Stone sculpture of eight armed Mahishamardini        | 07.03.2014                              | F.I.R. lodged  | Yet to be recovered  |
|         3 | Karnataka | Shiva temple, Thimmalapur, Hospet taluk, Bellary Dist, Karnataka       | Stone Shivalinga                                     | Intervening night of 18 th - 19.06.2014 | F.I.R. lodged  | Yet to be recovered  |
|         4 | Gujarat   | Vitthalbhai Haveli at Vso, Dist. Kheda                                 | Two wooden carved Brackets                           | 23.6.2014                               | F.I.R. lodged  | Recovered            |
|         5 | Karnataka | Ramalingaeswara temple complex Avani, Mulbangal taluk, Kolar district. | Stone Nandi                                          | Intervening night of 18- 19.07.2014     | F.I.R. lodged  | Yet to be recovered. |
|         6 | Bihar     | Jain Temple Rajgir                                                     | Stone image of Jain Tirthanker (Mahavira)            | Intervening night of 30- 31.07.2014     | F.I.R. lodged  | Yet to be recovered  |
|         7 | Karnataka | Nageswar temple, Mosale, Hassan taluk, Hassan district                 | Stone Sculptures of Mahisasuramardini and Sarasawati | Intervening night of 13- 14.09.2014     | F.I.R. Lodged  | Yet to be recovered  |

## Year 2015

|   Sl. No. | State     | Name of Monument/Sites& District                                              | Name of object                  | Date of theft   | Action taken   | Status              |
|-----------|-----------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------|-----------------|----------------|---------------------|
|         1 | Karnataka | Bhimesheshwara temple at Neelgunda, Harappanahalli Taluk, Davangere district, | Stone image of Yaksha sculpture | 26 .4. 2015     | F.I.R. Lodged  | Yet to be recovered |

|   2. | Orissa      | Varahanatha temple, Jajpur, Orrisa, a centrally protected monument.              | Sculpture of Trivikrama (Locally called Bali                          | 18 .5. 2015                         | F.I.R. Lodged   | Yet to be recovered   |
|------|-------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|-----------------|-----------------------|
|    3 | Karnataka   | Bhoganandiswara temple at Nand, Chikkaballapur Talkuk Chikkaballapur District,   | Black stone kalsha                                                    | 16.9.2015                           | F.I.R. Lodged   | Yet to be recovered   |
|    4 | Maharashtra | Sculpture Shed near Aam Khas Gate, Daulatabad Fort, District-Aurangabad          | 12 number of the objects including Sculptures/neckl aces/arms/ amulet | 16.9. 2015                          | F.I.R. Lodged   | Yet to be recovered   |
|    5 | Bihar       | The theft of one black stone sculpture form Jain Temple, Vaibhar, Rajgir, Patna. | One stone image if Mahavira Sculpture                                 | Intervening night of 22& 23.11.2015 | F.I.R Lodged    | Yet to be recovered   |
|    6 | Orrisa      | Chandrasekhar temple, Kapilas                                                    | Stone sculpture of Bhairawa Ganesh and Kaumari                        | Intervening night 25/26.11.2015     | F.I.R. Lodged   | Yet to be recovered   |
|    7 | Maharashtra | Kasa Fort, Dist- Raigad, Maharashtra                                             | Canon                                                                 | 05.12.2015.                         | F.I.R. Lodged   | Yet to be recovered   |

## Year 2016

|   Sl. No. | State          | Name of Monument/Sites& District                                                          | Name of object                                  | Date of theft                                    | Action taken   | Status              |
|-----------|----------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------|----------------|---------------------|
|         1 | Rajasthan      | Ancient Ruins Kalyanpur, Distt. Udaipur                                                   | 2 Stone sculpture of Shiva & Parvati, Lakulish, | Intervening night of 3 rd &4 th Feb. 2016.       | F.I.R. Lodged  | Yet to be recovered |
|         2 | Chattisgarh    | Bhairavbaba temple, Dantewada and ruined temple, Jiyapara District-South Bastar Dantewada | 2 stone sculpture of Bhairava                   | Intervening night of 6 th & 7 th July, 2016.     | F.I.R. Lodged  | Yet to be recovered |
|         3 | Andhra Pradesh | Sri Kumaraarama Bhimeswara Swamy temple, Samalkot Mandal of East Godavari District        | Stone image of Nandi idol                       | Intervening night of 24 th & 25 th November 2016 | F.I.R. Lodged  | Yet to be recovered |

|   4. | Karnataka      | Ramalingeswara temple complex Avani, Mulbagali taluk, Kolar district   | Stone sculpture of Ganesha   | Intervening night of 26 th & 27 th November 2016   | F.I.R. Lodged   | Yet to be recovered   |
|------|----------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------|-----------------|-----------------------|
|    5 | Andhra Pradesh | Veerabhadra Temple, Motupalle, Chinaganjam Mandal, Prakasam Disatrict  | Stone Sculpture of Nandi     | Intervening night of 12 th -13 th 2016             | F.I.R. Lodged   | Recovered             |

## Year 2017

|   Sl. No. | State          | Name of Monument/Sites& District                                                     | Name of object           | Date of theft   | Action taken   | Status              |
|-----------|----------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------|-----------------|----------------|---------------------|
|         1 | Andhra Pradesh | Sri Anadavalli Ammavaru Temple, Parasurameshwara Swamy Complex, Gudimallam, Chitoor. | Stone sculpture of Nandi | 03.11.2017.     | F.I.R. Lodged  | Yet to be recovered |

## Year 2018

No theft of any antiquity has been reporting during the year 2018 from any centrally protect monument.

## Annexure-2

## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1379 FOR 11. 02. 2019

## Retrieved Indian Antiquities from Foreign Countries from 2014 to 2018 (Five years)

|   Sl.No. | Name                                        | State                         | From      |   Year | Under the custody                         |
|----------|---------------------------------------------|-------------------------------|-----------|--------|-------------------------------------------|
|        1 | Nataraja                                    | Tamil Nadu                    | Australia |   2014 | Under the custody of Idol Wing Tamil Nadu |
|        2 | Ardhanareeswar                              | Tamil Nadu                    | Australia |   2014 | -do-                                      |
|        3 | Parrot Lady                                 | Madhya Pradesh                | Canada    |   2015 | Archaeological Museum, Khajuraho,MP       |
|        4 | Durga (Mahishmardini)                       | J&K                           | Germany   |   2015 | SPS Museum Sri Nagar, J&K                 |
|        5 | Uma Parameshwari                            | Tamil Nadu                    | Singapore |   2015 | Under the custody of Idol Wing Tamil Nadu |
|        6 | Bronze image of Saint Manikkavachaka        | Tamil Nadu                    | U.S.A     |   2016 | Under the custody of Idol Wing Tamil Nadu |
|        7 | Metal image of Ganesha                      | Tamil Nadu                    | U.S.A     |   2016 | Under the custody of Idol Wing Tamil Nadu |
|        8 | Terracotta Female Figure (Honolulu Museum)  | Mauryan period Central India  | U.S.A     |   2016 | CAC Section, Purana Qila, N. Delhi        |
|        9 | Male Deity (Honolulu Museum)                | Madhya Pradesh                | U.S.A     |   2016 | CAC Section, Purana Qila, N. Delhi        |
|       10 | Floral Tile, Harvan                         | Kashmir                       | U.S.A     |   2016 | CAC Section, Purana Qila, N. Delhi        |
|       11 | Sri Devi, Chola Period                      | Tamil Nadu                    | U.S.A     |   2016 | CAC Section, Purana Qila, N. Delhi        |
|       12 | Metal image of Bahubali                     | Andhra Pradesh                | U.S.A     |   2016 | PMO                                       |
|       13 | Metal image of Parvati                      | Tamil Nadu                    | U.S.A     |   2016 | CAC Section, Purana Qila, N. Delhi        |
|       14 | Terracotta Plaque                           | West Bengal                   | U.S.A     |   2016 | CAC Section, Purana Qila, N. Delhi        |
|       15 | Metal image of Bhoodevi                     | Tamil Nadu                    | U.S.A     |   2016 | Idol Wing Tamil Nadu                      |
|       16 | Metal image of Chakkarathalwar              | Tamil Nadu                    | U.S.A     |   2016 | Idol Wing Tamil Nadu                      |
|       17 | Seated Buddha                               | Mathura region, Uttar Pradesh | Australia |   2016 | National Museum New Delhi                 |
|       18 | Panel of Devotees of Buddha                 | Andhra Pradesh                | Australia |   2016 | National Museum New Delhi                 |
|       19 | Stone image Pratyangira                     | Tamil Nadu                    | Australia |   2016 | Under the custody of Idol Wing Tamil Nadu |
|       20 | Sand Stone Male Figure in Tribhanga Posture | Central India                 | U.S.A.    |   2017 | CAC Section, Purana Qila, N. Delhi        |

|   21. | Sand Stone Bust of a Female                                                         | Central India   | U.S.A.         |   2017 | CAC Section, Purana Qila, N. Delhi                                                        |
|-------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------|----------------|--------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|    22 | Sand Stone broken Figure                                                            | Central India   | U.S.A.         |   2017 | CAC Section, Purana Qila, N. Delhi                                                        |
|    23 | Stone image of Durga                                                                | Tamil Nadu      | U.S.A.         |   2017 | CAC Section, Purana Qila, N. Delhi                                                        |
|    24 | Damaged Sand Stone image of Nataraja in dancing posture.                            | Central India   | U.S.A.         |   2017 | CAC Section, Purana Qila, N. Delhi                                                        |
|    25 | Mutilated Sand Stone Panel depicting two male Figures (vidhyadharas)                | Central India   | U.S.A.         |   2017 | CAC Section, Purana Qila, N. Delhi                                                        |
|    26 | Stone image of a couple (mithuna) figure carved under a niche from Atru, Rajasthan. | Rajasthan       | U.S.A.         |   2017 | CAC Section, Purana Qila, N. Delhi                                                        |
|    27 | Stone image of a couple (mithuna) Figure from Atru, Rajasthan.                      | Rajasthan       | U.S.A.         |   2017 | CAC Section, Purana Qila, N. Delhi                                                        |
|    28 | Stone sculpture of Brahma and Brahamani                                             | Gujarat         | U.K.           |   2017 | CAC Section, Purana Qila, N. Delhi                                                        |
|    29 | Durga Mahishasurmardin i                                                            | Uttarakhand     | USA MET Museum |   2018 | CAC Section, Purana Qila, N. Delhi                                                        |
|    30 | Bodhisattva Head                                                                    | Andhra Pradesh  | USA MET Museum |   2018 | Nagarjunakonda Museum, Andhra Pradesh                                                     |
|    31 | Broanze image of seated Buddha                                                      | Nalanda, Bihar  | UK             |   2019 | The image is still in the custody of the DRI, New Delhi and will be handed to ASI shortly |