The Metropolitan Museum of Art (Met) in New York announced on Thursday, 30 March, that it would return 15 sculptures to the Government of India.
The move comes after the museum discovered that the artifacts were illegally removed from India and subsequently sold by dealer Subhash Kapoor, who is currently serving a prison sentence in Tamil Nadu.
The works in question range from the 1st century BCE to the 11th century CE and include terracotta, copper, and stone sculptures. According to The Indian Express, an 11th-century sandstone Celestial Dancer (Apsara) from Madhya Pradesh (valued at more than $1 million) and a 1st-century BCE Yaksha Terracotta from West Bengal are part of the collection.
Kapoor, an Indian American 'art dealer', was convicted for running a $100 million international smuggling racket involving pieces from across the Indian subcontinent.
A recent investigation, jointly conducted by The Indian Express and the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), revealed that at least 10 Indian sculptures at the Met were linked to Kapoor.
The New York Supreme Court issued a search warrant against the museum thereafter, following which the Met announced that it would return 15 sculptures to India.
In a press release, the Met said: "The Museum is actively reviewing the history of antiquities from suspect dealers... values highly its long-standing relationships with the government of India, and is pleased to resolve this matter."
The release added that the Met had already contacted Homeland Security in 2015 after acquiring works from Kapoor and has now acted on the matter following the criminal investigation into Kapoor.
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