Middleman booked in ₹4L bribe demand over Raja Ravi Varma prints

The accused, Vijay Kumar, a resident of Nashik, allegedly sought the bribe by claiming he could influence a DRT official and an officer of public-sector lender Canara Bank

MUMBAI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has booked a suspected middleman in a corruption case for allegedly demanding a ₹4 lakh bribe from the proprietor of an art firm to facilitate the clearance and release of items, including prints of iconic artist Raja Ravi Varma’s paintings, purchased at an auction conducted by the Debts Recovery Tribunal (DRT) last month.

Central Bureau of Investigation India CBI logo vector. Editorial use only. 05 July 2023 - Bangalore, India (Shutterstock)

The accused, Vijay Kumar, a resident of Nashik, allegedly sought the bribe by claiming he could influence a DRT official and an officer of public-sector lender Canara Bank, both associated with the auction held on April 6. The auctioned items included an oleograph, lithostones and prints of Raja Ravi Varma paintings, according to CBI officials.

Painting prints are authorised reproductions of an original painting or artwork. Lithostones are the medium used for such printing, while an oleograph is a high-quality, oil-textured print produced through that process.

The CBI’s Mumbai unit registered the case on April 28 based on a complaint filed by the husband of the art firm’s proprietor. An FIR was registered against Kumar under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act related to obtaining undue advantage for influencing public servants through corrupt or illegal means, or by exercising personal influence.

However, on April 20, Kumar allegedly approached the complainant and claimed that the auction file was pending with the concerned officer at the DRT office in Mumbai. According to CBI officials, Kumar allegedly demanded a bribe of ₹4 lakh to be paid to the concerned DRT and Canara Bank officials for clearing the file and facilitating the release of the auctioned items. Unwilling to pay the bribe, the complainant and his wife approached the CBI seeking legal action against him.

The CBI conducted a verification exercise on April 27, during which telephonic conversations between the complainant and Kumar were recorded. According to the agency, Kumar was allegedly heard reiterating the ₹4 lakh bribe demand and claiming he could influence the concerned DRT and Canara Bank officials.