NEW DELHI : The Centre today told the Supreme Court that as per the Ministry of Culture, India should not stake any claim to the popular Kohinoor diamond as ‘it was neither stolen nor forcibly taken away.’ Solicitor General (SG) Ranjit Kumar, appearing for the Central government, told a bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Tirath Singh Thakur, that this was the stand of the Culture Ministry.
“Ministry of External Affairs is also a party and their response is yet to come,” he informed the court. He also told the apex court that the Kohinoor diamond was handed over by Maharaja Ranjit Singh to the East India Company.
The apex court said this while hearing a petition filed by All India Human Rights and Social Justice Front, which alleged that the Central Government was not making any sincere effort to bring back the diamond.
The Supreme Court has asked the Centre to file a detailed reply within six weeks in this regard as to what would be the Union Government’s stand. The court asked the Central Government whether it wants the case to be dismissed. If yes, they could face a problem in the future while putting forward any legitimate claim.
The Supreme Court had last week asked the Centre to state its position on the issue of bringing 105 carat diamond back. The British Government had in 2013 rejected the demand for the return of Kohinoor. (UNI)
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