New Delhi, April 11: The CBI on Wednesday said it had seized 81 artefacts from south Delhi and registered a case under the antiquities law against an individual and other unknown persons.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said its team searched a building in East of Kailash on Tuesday following a tip-off and seized around 81 artefacts that were suspected to be antiquities.
"During the search, many sculptures depicting gods and goddess of different religions were seized. When Subodh Dalal, owner of the premises, was asked, he said most sculptures were registered with various ASI (Archaeological Survey of India) offices in Uttar Pradesh and that he will apply for registration of the remaining ones.
"He also produced the registration certificates of certain antiquities. After inspection, ASI officers confirmed these were antiquities," the CBI official said.
The official said that the ASI officers doubted the genuineness of the registration certificates produced by Dalal on the basis of their serial numbers and date of registration.
"These certificates bear addresses of properties in Lucknow, Mathura, and Vrindavan. But the antiquities were found at Sant Nagar premises in south Delhi," the official said.
A case was registered against Dalal and others under the Antiquities and Art Treasures Act of 1972 and the Indian Penal Code.
"... certain antique pieces of deities and other articles were acquired illegally through fake registration certificates. These antiquities were said to be stolen from unidentified places of historical importance, and archaeological excavation sites," the official added.
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Maharashtra Assembly elections 2024: Five key constituencies to watch
Mumbai: The Maharashtra Assembly elections have witnessed a fierce battle for power, with the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance aiming to retain its position and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition striving for resurgence. As counting begins today, 23rd November 2024, 4,140 candidates are in contention for 288 seats. Among these, 234 are general-category seats, while 29 are reserved for Scheduled Castes and 25 for Scheduled Tribes. Here are five constituencies to watch closely:
1. Worli:
Milind Deora (Shiv Sena - Shinde faction), Aaditya Thackeray (Shiv Sena UBT), and Sandeep Deshpande (MNS) are contesting. Aaditya Thackeray, the incumbent, is known for his hands-on approach during the pandemic. Milind Deora, a former minister, appeals to urban voters, while Deshpande focuses on infrastructure and housing issues.
2. Baramati:
Ajit Pawar (NCP) and Yugendra Pawar (NCP - Sharad Pawar faction) are in the fray. Ajit Pawar has held this seat since 1991, while Yugendra Pawar, mentored by Sharad Pawar, is making his debut in this traditional stronghold.
3. Vandre East:
Zeeshan Siddique (NCP) and Varun Sardesai (Shiv Sena UBT) are the key contenders. Siddique is popular among young voters and the Muslim community, while Sardesai has strong ties to Shiv Sena's traditional base.
4. Nagpur South West:
Devendra Fadnavis (BJP) and Praful Gudadhe (Congress) are contesting. Fadnavis seeks his fourth consecutive term, leveraging his development initiatives, while Gudadhe may attract voters dissatisfied with urban infrastructure and public services.
5. Kopri-Pachpakhadi:
Eknath Shinde (Shiv Sena) and Kedar Dighe (Shiv Sena UBT) are in a tough contest. Shinde, the current chief minister, highlights his mentor Anand Dighe’s legacy, while Dighe’s nephew, Kedar, challenges him in this Thane constituency.
The election campaign saw prominent leaders, including PM Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, actively canvassing across the state.
