KOCHI: The Kerala High Court has directed the Central Government to look into the fact that Ravi Varma paintings placed for auction in New Delhi did not have registration.
The petition was filed by Archana Narayanan, an advocate and the great grand-niece of Raja Ravi Varma, seeking a directive to the Central Government to take steps to take over the paintings auctioned off by a private auction house.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice J Chelameswar and Justice P R Ramachandra Menon rejected the demand of the petitioner to issue a directive to the Archaeological Survey of India and the Union Ministry of Cultural Affairs to take over the paintings.
Four paintings of Raja Ravi Varma were auctioned off at New Delhi on November 30, 2010, by a Bangalore-based auction house.
There is no doubt that Ravi Varma pictures are antique pieces. But the court cannot decide weather these pictures are registered or not. The court also criticised the Archaeological Survey of India for not providing the exact details regarding the paintings.