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    Mystery shrouds ‘abduction’ of Varma

    Mystery shrouds the ‘abduction’ theory of Sreekumar Varma, the great grandson of master painter Raja Ravi Varma as the family members and external ministry sources maintain that he is ‘safe’ in Senegal

    Mystery shrouds ‘abduction’ of Varma
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    Chennai

    Sreekumar Varma, who belongs to the Thiruvananthapuram Royal family and stays in the city, left for Senegal on January 23, presumably in an attempt to sell one of Raja Ravi Varma’s painting which his family received as inheritance. Apart from his immediate family, nobody had any information about his visit. A few days back, his son Karthik Varma had lodged a complaint with the City CoP, saying that he had received an international call from the number +111 and the callers said that his father was in their custody and that they would release him only after securing a ransom. 

    However, on Thursday, External ministry sources in Delhi confirmed that Sreekumar Varma was safe and ready to return to India. Police sources here confirmed that no money had been exchanged for the ‘release’ but raised suspicion about the whole theory of ‘abduction’. 

    According to sources, Sreekumar Varma is now in the custody of Dakar police and they are interrogating him. Sreekumar Varma tried to get a ticket back to India on Thursday but Dakar police wanted him to stay back. He would be returning to the country by a Friday flight from Dakar, sources added. When contacted, Karthik Varma, who lodged the complaint, refused to divulge any detail regarding his father’s trip and the subsequent developments. “I do not have anything to say now and I am not in a position to reveal any details,” he said. 

    According to a Royal family source, selling of Raja Ravi Varma’s painting outside the country is not permitted and one has to go through a lot of legal procedures before they could even sell it within the country. “If the family decides to sell a Raja Ravi Varma painting, which is considered an antique, the first choice is Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). 

    ASI assesses the international market rate for the painting and can purchase it by paying the amount. As per existing rules, it is not possible to take an antique out of the country for sale,” a Thiruvananthapuram Royal family source told DT Next. Meanwhile, sources said that there was no record of Sreekumar Varma contacting ASI with an offer to sell the paintings of Raja Ravi Varma.

    If Sreekumar Varma had tried to sell the paintings to a dealer based in Senegal, it could be considered illegal and action could be initiated against Varma, sources added. Sources also added that he had not carried any paintings abroad but had only taken the photographs of the paintings for reference to the prospective buyer.

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