Though there is no headway in search for Gandhiji's spectacles that went missing from the Wardha's Sewagram Ashram, ashram authorities have shocked everybody by valuing it at Rs 150-200. The value was given by Sewagram Ashram Pratishthan Trust chairman Madhao Gadkari in his police complaint at Sewagram police station. As national treasure, the glasses might be invaluable but Gandhiji's belongings have been fetching huge prices in auctions around the world.
Gadkari justified to TOI his estimate of glasses' value saying "the item was very old. It was used more than six decades back and even material used is now in bad condition. It can't be priced more than that." Sources in Crime Investigation Department (CID) probing the case, however, alleged that ashram authorities were not cooperating in the investigation. "They're avoiding us citing platinum jubilee celebrations on Thursday," a CID official told TOI. CID's deputy superintendent GB Yadav was handed over the probe on Tuesday by the Maharashtra government embarrassed over missing spectacles. Yadav and his team of 14 cops have been camping on the ashram premises since then.
CID sources said initial investigations had led them to suspect insider hand in the theft that happened around November 20 last year. It was kept under wraps for about seven months by ashram authorities apparently to avoid controversy. They didn't rule out the hand of two guards and cleaners into the theft of glasses donated by Mahatma's granddaughter Nirmalaben. The CID team inspected the box where Bapu's valuables were kept and found locks were in bad condition. The spectacles were kept in a wooden box with a glass cover along with 17 other articles including the figurine of three monkeys, a hot water bottle, a wooden paper weight, his charkha and a rosary.
Gadkari justified to TOI his estimate of glasses' value saying "the item was very old. It was used more than six decades back and even material used is now in bad condition. It can't be priced more than that." Sources in Crime Investigation Department (CID) probing the case, however, alleged that ashram authorities were not cooperating in the investigation. "They're avoiding us citing platinum jubilee celebrations on Thursday," a CID official told TOI. CID's deputy superintendent GB Yadav was handed over the probe on Tuesday by the Maharashtra government embarrassed over missing spectacles. Yadav and his team of 14 cops have been camping on the ashram premises since then.
CID sources said initial investigations had led them to suspect insider hand in the theft that happened around November 20 last year. It was kept under wraps for about seven months by ashram authorities apparently to avoid controversy. They didn't rule out the hand of two guards and cleaners into the theft of glasses donated by Mahatma's granddaughter Nirmalaben. The CID team inspected the box where Bapu's valuables were kept and found locks were in bad condition. The spectacles were kept in a wooden box with a glass cover along with 17 other articles including the figurine of three monkeys, a hot water bottle, a wooden paper weight, his charkha and a rosary.
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