ASI brings back three stolen artefacts from Australia

A 1,800-year-old Kushan period seated Buddha statue, 2,000-year-old Buddha panel and a 900-year-old statue of Goddess Pratyangira are three antiquities that were brought back from Australia by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). The artefacts, sourced by the National Gallery of Australia (NGA) from tainted art dealer Subhash Kapoor, landed in Delhi in December.

The Goddess Pratyangira statue, dating back to the 12th century, was reported to be missing by the Idol Wing of Tamil Nadu's Economic Offences Wing, and was purchased by the NGA for $247,500 in 2005. The seated Buddha panel was purchased by NGA from Manhattan dealer Nancy Weiner. The marble panel of Buddha, originating from Amravati, was purchased by NGA in 2007.

All the artefacts are part of over 21 works of art, acquired between 2002 and 2011 by the NGA from dealer Subhash Kapoor, through his New York-based gallery, Art of the Past. Kapoor was arrested in 2011. With pressure from Indian agencies mounting, the NGA showed willingness to help to the Indian High Commission in Canberra in 2012. It became increasingly clear that these artefacts were illegally exported from India after 1972.

The lacunae in the legislation that art smugglers routinely exploit is that as per the Export Control Act, 1947, the Indian government would give out licences for any export of artwork from the country. The act was in operation till 1972, when the Antiquities and Art Treasures Act, 1972, was brought in. But it came into operation only in April 1976. The gap of four years in between is what several art smugglers exploit.

An NGA release said that the artwork was brought on the basis of "false documentation". Also, in addition to that, Australia is a signatory to the UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property, 1970.

DN Dimri, director, antiquity at ASI, said that the last few years have been a good year for acquisitions. Kapoor's arrest has also speeded up the process. In 2016 alone, 11 artworks have been brought back; three from Australia and nine from the US were brought back during PM Modi's visit. In 2015, five were brought back.

"The ASI is in talks with the homeland security department in the US to verify nine more artworks and a Brahma statue from London," said Dimri.