By IANS
New Delhi : A man was arrested here on the charge of attempting to sell two stolen antique idols of Lord Mahavir, valued at millions of rupees in the international market, police said Tuesday.
Omkar Nath, who holds an M.Com degree from Aligarh University, was arrested after a tip-off Monday at Roshanara Bagh, close to the Roshanara Club in north Delhi where he had come to sell the idols to a customer.
According to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), both idols of the Jain Lord Mahavir are made of Ashtadhatu or an alloy of eight metals. One of them is about 1,000 years old and has a height of 17 1/2 cm and a width of 13 cm. The other is about 600 years old and has a height of 19 1/2 cm and a width of 14 cm.
Nath, who hails from Etah district of Uttar Pradesh, was given the idols by a neighbour called Shantu, police said.
"During the interrogation, he revealed that Shantu told him he had two antique idols of Lord Mahavira, which could be sold for millions. Shantu offered him a 25 percent share and gave him the idols to sell," Additional Commissioner of Police Muktesh Chander said.
"Since then the accused had been trying to sell the idols and somehow managed to finalise a deal with a buyer for Rs.7.5 million for each idol," he added.
Police said that the databases of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) were being checked to trace the source of the idols.