Kohinoor diamond row: SC seeks Centre's reply in four weeks

New Delhi [India], Nov. 11 (ANI): The Supreme Court on Friday issued a notice to the Centre on the Kohinoor diamond matter seeking a reply in four weeks. Senior Advocate Sommo Chkravarthy said that an impression has been created that the gem was gifted by Maharaja Dilip Singh to the Britishers, but documents produced prove that it was actually stolen. "There must be proper diplomatic parley between the Central government and the government of United Kingdom , that must be supervised by the Supreme Court. Second, is that the impression is created that the gem was gifted by Maharaja Dilip Singh to the Britishers but we have produced all the documents that it was actually stolen," he said. "Britishers had acquired it illegally and forcefully. The archaeological survey of India has also directed to file the affidavit. Supreme Court has directed it to come up within four week. They have been directed to file an appropriate counter affidavit," he added. Earlier, after UK Minister of Asia and Pacific affairs Alok Sharma's assertion on the restitution of 'Kohinoor' diamond, Advocate Nafis Siddiqui, the petitioner of the case, said that he will file a new application and if Britain doesn't return the gem still, he will then appeal in the UNESCO and in the UN. "New application will be filled in the Supreme Court to send the advocated commissioner to Britain and request the British government to return the property of India and to get a stay on the selling or auctioning of the diamond. We will get it back, if not, we will appeal through the UNESCO or through UNO," said Siddiqui. Earlier, in the Supreme Court Centre said that Britain did not steal the 'Kohinoor' but rather it was gifted to them. Referring to UNESCO declaration of 1970 and 1978, he added that UNESCO has mentioned to return everything that has been looted from the colonial ruled country back to them. France, America and even Australia did so, Britain must also. After the subjugation of Punjab in 1849 by the British forces, the properties of the Sikh Empire were confiscated and the Kohinoor was also transferred to the treasury of the British East India Company in Lahore. Later, the diamond was shipped to Britain and was handed to Queen Victoria in July 1850. It was cut to improve its brilliance and was mounted into Queen Victoria's crown. The diamond now sits in the tower of London along with the Crown Jewels. The people of India have been demanding the return of the 105-carat diamond, which the British Government rejected in 2013. (ANI)