Mughal (?) Koran seized in India

The odd thing about this BBC story is that there is no explanation of why the manuscript was seized. Is it stolen property? Or does India have laws prohibiting private ownership of former imperial property?

Police in the Indian city of Bangalore have seized a copy of the Koran they believe may have belonged to Mughal emperor Aurangzeb over 300 years ago.

The book was discovered after a raid on a hotel in the city. Police arrested a man who was trying to sell it and an antique painting for more than $1m. . .

Bangalore police have sent the Koran to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to see if its experts can verify how old the book is and if markings found on it were made by the emperor.

HERE is a bit more detail:

Speaking to presspersons here on Wednesday, Police Commissioner N. Achuta Rao said the CCB police, on a tip-off, arrested M.G. Sukumar (44) from Thrissur, Kerala, at a hotel on M.G. Road where he was waiting for potential buyers. He said they were yet to ascertain whether the Koran and the painting were indeed antiques, as claimed by Sukumar. "We have to first check if the `antiques' have already been registered with the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). We have invited ASI officials to give their expert opinion."

Mr. Rao also said the Director-General of the ASI would have to certify that the items were antiques.

Posted by David on March 9, 2007 9:35 AM