[MSN] Insider theft. Bolpur police seize paintings, artefacts believed stolen over the years

[Museum Security Network Mailinglist]

Visva-Bharati employee held 

Special Correspondent 

Bolpur police seize paintings, artefacts believed stolen over the years  

Kolkata: The Central Bureau of Investigation team, probing the theft of the
Nobel medallion awarded to Rabindranath Tagore, has reportedly found fresh
clues pertaining to the case during interrogation of those arrested in a
racket in stolen paintings, sculptures and antiques recently unearthed in
Santiniketan in West Bengal. 

The medallion was stolen from the Rabindra Bhavan museum of the
Visva-Bharati University campus in March 2004. It was subsequently replaced
by a replica made available by the Nobel Foundation following a special
request by the university authorities. 

Earlier this week, the local Bolpur police raided different places in
Santiniketan, including a studio, and seized a large number of oil
paintings, antiques and other artefacts believed to have been stolen over
the years. 

The paintings belonged to the Bengal school and included some works of
Tagore though their authenticity is being verified. A painting of Ramkinkar
Baij has also been seized. 

A non-teaching employee of the Visva-Bharati was arrested in connection with
the racket on Wednesday evening, bringing the total number of those
apprehended to seven. 

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