GAYA – The district court has pronounced a five-year prison sentence and a financial penalty for five individuals convicted of trafficking Lord Buddha statues. The trial uncovered that members of this group had engaged in the theft of numerous valuable statues, all of which have now been successfully recovered.
The convicted individuals include Ghunghat Choudhary, Arvind Kumar Das, Mohammad Shamsad Alam, Amit Kumar, and Mohammad Sonu. In addition to the prison term, the court has imposed a fine of one and a half lakh rupees on each convict. The charges against them revolved around the illegal sale of ancient statues.
The court proceedings revealed that these individuals were involved in the illicit trade of priceless statues of Lord Buddha. The sentencing took place in the court of Additional District and Sessions Judge Ranjeet Kumar in Gaya. The court found all the accused guilty and sentenced them to five years of rigorous imprisonment along with the monetary penalty.
It was disclosed during the trial that the group had stolen these valuable statues, prompting a thorough investigation and subsequent recovery by the authorities. Among the recovered artifacts were ancient sculptures and stupas related to Buddha. The court emphasized the seriousness of their actions by imposing substantial fines in addition to the prison sentences.
Furthermore, the court proceedings unveiled that the accused were part of a larger network engaged in the illegal trade of these artifacts. The information provided by the accused Shamsad Alam played a crucial role in uncovering the details of their illicit activities. The police conducted raids at the residences of Ghunghat Choudhary and Sonu, where they discovered a significant collection of valuable statues.
Sonu, another member of the group, also had his residence searched, resulting in the recovery of additional priceless statues. All the recovered artifacts, identified as statues of Lord Buddha dating back hundreds of years, held significant international market value running into crores of rupees.
In total, nine witnesses testified against the accused, providing essential evidence during the trial. The court’s verdict underscores the gravity of their offenses and serves as a deterrent against the illegal trafficking of cultural and religious artifacts.
