DRI arrests one more person in antiques smuggling case

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence today arrested one more person in connection with the smuggling of antiques and artifacts outside country.

The agency had arrested Vijay Nanda, an American businessman of Indian-origin, and his associate Udit Jain separately in connection with the case.

The man arrested today is identified as Pushpender Singh, a resident of Delhi.

"In his statement, he has admitted to using Import Export Code (IEC) of his firm for aiding the smuggling and smuggled out antiques to Hong Kong and Taiwan," the agency said.

An official said Singh believed to have mis-declared the items as handicrafts to hoodwink the authorities.

Nanda was arrested on February 6 after the DRI conducted searches at his house in Girgaum in Mumbai and on a godown.

The agency sleuths had recovered figurines, including that of terracotta from First Century AD, bronze figurines of Mahishasur Mardini and Ganesh dating back to 17th and 18th Centuries.

Jain was arrested on March 3.

Meanwhile, the DRI has seized branded cigarettes worth Rs 84.94 lakh from Nhava Sheva port, which were concealed in a baby ride car.

(This article has not been edited by DNA's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)