DRI arrests top US-based smuggler of Indian-origin after raids at his Gamdevi home and Byculla godown throw up 11 antique sculptures valued at billions of dollars, which he'd sell at global auctions
One of the seized sculptures
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After a decade of India being robbed of its rare and ancient sculptures and artefacts worth billions from temples and sites, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Mumbai, finally managed to nab Indian-origin US businessman Vijay Nanda, believed to be a top global smuggler, running an international syndicate dealing in precious antiques, from South Mumbai.
Some of the stolen sculptures, which the DRI seized from a godown in Byculla where Vijay Nanda had stashed them up
Highly-placed sources in the DRI told mid-day that Nanda, who the agency suspects smuggled out and sold over 250 precious antiques and artefacts worth billions of rupees across the world in the last decade, was on several Indian agencies’ radar since long.
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Nanda was living in the US for the last 30 years as a furniture and garment merchant. He set a company ‘Sangam Importer’ in New York in 2010 and sold old furniture from across the world. He also set up another company ‘Sage Mercantile’, with both acting as fronts for his criminal activities.
DRI said Nanda was arrested on his arrival in India a few days ago, a visit he had made to smuggle more sculptures out.
Modus operandi
He is believed to have sold the sculptures in Korea, Japan, China and Hong Kong, and European and Gulf countries. He would deal in stolen or vandalised sculptures from various temples across eastern and southern India. He would then legitimise them by forging Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) certificates and creating other fake documents.
Nanda would smuggle the sculptures out of India by concealing them in furniture or handicraft consignments and then sell them through auctions to art galleries, private collectors and museums.
His syndicate has allegedly smuggled Gupta Era gold coins, Post-Mauryan terracotta figurines, Rajputana swords and daggers, Chola bronzes and Tibetan statues.
Raid seizures
DRI officers carried out searches at Nanda’s house in Girgaum and a Byculla godown where he stored the stolen items, recovering 11 sculptures and artefacts (including six big sculptures believed to have been stolen from East and South India temples). “Each sculpture is believed to be worth crores of rupees,” said an officer.
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Sources said DRI got important information on Nanda after scanning emails of his business associate Udit Jain, who ran the Dindayalan syndicate and was arrested by the Chennai DRI recently in connection with smuggling of antiques and ancient paintings.
Shipment to Hong Kong en route
Sources in DRI told mid-day that Nanda was in contact with a New York-based suspect through emails, one of which talks about the shipping of a big consignment of ancient Indian sculptures to Hong Kong. The consignment of 13 sculptures that was sent to Hong Kong a few days ago is currently en route.
A senior officer said all efforts are being made to trace the consignment and bring it back to India with the help of the relevant agencies.
DRI officers added that valuation of seized antiques would be done by a committee formed by the ASI.
A senior officer said Nanda’s arrest is important as it would lead them to the source of the stolen items and other important people active in the syndicate since long.
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