Theft Of Rajendra Prasad's, Watch Being Probed

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Theft Of Rajendra Prasad's, Watch Being Probed, Patna, Jan 3 (IANS) Bihar Police have begun a probe into how the gold wrist watch of India’s first President Rajendra Prasad reached Geneva in Switzerland after being stolen from Patna in 1964, police said Tuesday.

“Police have decided to investigate the case after Rajendra Prasad’s granddaughter Tara Sinha demanded a probe into the matter,” said Patna’s Senior Superintendent of Police Alok Kumar.

Auction house Sotheby's had postponed the sale of the Rolex wrist watch following a request by Indian authorities to not put it under the hammer in Geneva.

Theft Of Rajendra Prasad's, Watch Being Probed

"It is not an ordinary watch, but a gift to the first president on Republic Day. It is part of our national heritage," says Sinha.

Last week, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh assured Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar that the centre would take all possible measures for putting off the auction of the wrist watch in the future.

The watch, presumably means to Prasad on a initial Republic Day in 1950, is a Rolex Oyster and is done of pinkish gold. It has a map of India and a date of a nation apropos a commonwealth stamped on it. The watch was stolen from Patna’s Sadaqat Ashram in 1964. At Sotheby’s, it was estimated to fetch between US$ 222,000 and 444,000.