“Somebody is asking for the Kohinoor. What do you plan to do?” Chief Justice of India T.S. Thakur asked Solicitor-General Ranjit Kumar on Friday.
The question came on a plea made by an NGO, All India Human Rights & Social Justice Front, in the apex court asking whether the government of India intends to make a bid to get back the Kohinoor, which is a part of the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom. The petition has arrainged the U.K. High Commissioner an opposite party in the Supreme Court.
Mr. Kumar, who was specially summoned from another court, admitted he knew nothing about what the government was doing about the Kohinoor, but would find out and get back to the apex court in a week.
Chief Jutice Thakur observed that many countries, including Pakistan, Bangladesh and South Africa, were claiming the Kohinoor as theirs.
The CJI then referred to a media report quoting the British Prime Minister saying that “if we were to accept such demands, the British Museum would be empty.”
During a visit to India, British Prime Minister David Cameron was reported by the media to have ruled out handing back 105-carat Kohinoor. The diamond is on display at the Tower of London.
