Ali stole Nizam antiques from Salar Jung museum?

HYDERABAD: Investigation is under way into the allegation that Hasan Ali Khan, who is facing charges of money-laundering, had stolen some antiques belonging to the erstwhile Nizams in connivance with an employee of the Salar Jung Museum and sold them away for `50 lakh.

According to city police commissioner AK Khan, the Central Crime Station police registered cases under various sections against Hasan Ali and four others for the alleged theft. Enforcement directorate officials from Mumbai came to know of the theft while interrogating Hasan Ali and informed Khan.

In his confession, Hasan Ali is said to have named one Nasir Baig, whom, he claimed was an employee of the museum. 'ED officials came up with the confessional statement of Hasan Ali and approached us. We have to look into the statement and verify who Nasir Baig is. We want to collect several details including the identity of Nasir Baig, the certification of the antiques, where and to whom they were sold,' Khan said.

'The cooperation we get from ED officials is crucial. They have to give us evidence to pursue the case,'' Khan added. He however, did not go much into the details and said the names of four persons (Gupta, Kashinath Tapuria, Dilip Raj Anand and Nasir Baig) had figured in the confession.

Hasan Ali reportedly told the ED officials that he dealt with antiques of the Nizams displayed at the Salar Jung Museum.

According to the complaint, Hasan Ali connived with one Nasir Baig, who he claimed was the custodian of Salar Jung Museum in 1992, and stole the antiques and sold them. The antiques, including some jewellery, were reportedly sold abroad.

Apart from Hasan Ali and Nasir Baig, the other persons reportedly involved in the crime are Kashinath Tapuria, a Kolkata-based businessman; Dilip Anand Raj; and Ram Bharoj Gupta, a jeweller in Hyderabad.

Sources said the police would write to the Salar Jung Museum authorities seeking information on the inventory of artefacts and also record the statements of the officials concerned.

Museum officials, however, deny that the antiques were stolen. 'We are surprised since the allegations are baseless. The Salar Jung Museum is meant for storing and displaying antiques of the then prime minister of Hyderabad, Salar Jung and not the Nizams. So the question of Nizams' antiques going missing does not arise,' said museum director Narender Reddy. Moreover, no person by name Nasir Baig had worked at the museum, he said.