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Introduction to the Blog
A respected South Asian military historian, scholar and author is being unjustly harassed, maligned and threatened by Himachal State Police authorities. Mr Ashok Nath is of Indian origin, has been based in Europe for the last thirty years and, earlier, served in an elite cavalry regiment of the Indian Army. He is the author of a monumental work on the history of the Indian and Pakistan cavalry, whose research and publication he has financed largely from his own resources. The work has been widely acclaimed – for example in the UK by Oxford University’s eminent Professor of the History of War, Hew Strachan, by the Indian Military Historical Society, and by others.
To raise funds for his research on the next series of volumes he is writing, he decided to sell his medal collection, and offered the George Cross to a well known military auction house in London in 2009. The auction house, doing some research, discovered that the medal was listed as having been reported stolen and asked him for proof to the contrary, which he provided to its satisfaction and to the satisfaction of Scotland Yard to which the case was later referred.
For unknown reasons, the widow of the George Cross awardee denied selling the medal and reported that it had been stolen on a date well after it had been sold. This created a politically-motivated hue and cry in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. The local politicians instructed an official to secure the return of the medal so that they could claim credit for the return of the medal to the state.
The George Cross is not an antique according to Indian law, nor was it registered as a national treasure in India, so its sale was valid and there was nothing illegal about its being taken out of the country. It has been purchased in good faith with valid documents and there is indeed a video recording which demonstrates beyond a shadow of doubt that the medal was given by the widow, to the person who then sold it on.
The scholar is being bullied by threats, false charges and public maligning by the authorities. After voluntarily withdrawing the medal from the auction, he called for a thorough and impartial investigation, and has cooperated with the police, both in the UK and India. However, the State police are known for being corrupt, and have been twisting evidence to suit their own agenda. He feels therefore that they cannot be trusted.
Harassment by the police is a sad reality in India. It is unacceptable that they should seek to browbeat a respected historian who is pursuing his own scholarly interests. If the authorities are allowed to get away with such actions it will be a sad day for democracy in India and for the rule of law.
This blog looks into this aspect, with evidence in the light of claims and counter claims and the role of the Himachal Pradesh Police , politicians and judiciary as well as that of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs / Indian High Commission in London, who have been trying to influence British authorities to circumvent British Law and repatriate the medal back to India, without a fair trail being carried in a British court of law. If this were to happen it would also be a sad day for democracy in Britain. Read on…..
It is time the People of India and United Kingdom, came to know about the true facts behind the “so-called theft ” of a George Cross, allegedly to have been burgled in Feb 2002.
It is important that these facts are put on public domain because the press / media lacks the complete picture.
Mr. Nath can be contacted on email anath53@gmail.com
The complete facts of the case can be download here:
Facts on the George Cross Episode, India
Email sent to MR ID Bhandari, DIG (CID) by Capt A. Nath on 30 Nov 2009, withdrawing the George Cross from the auction and asking him for a thorough and impartial investigation, and Bhandari’s reply:
Email sent to MR ID Bhandari, DIG (CID) by Capt A. Nath on 30 Nov 2009
Affidavits, showing Brahmi Devi’s thumb impression, and signature of the witnesses on reverse, as well as the second affidavit showing the transfer of title from Kirpal Singh to Mr S.L. (Goga) Jain:
First affidavit , Brahmi Devi gifts Kirpal Singh the George Cross
Signature and thumb impression of the three witness.
Transfer of title from Kirpal Singh to SL (Goga) Jain
To see the footage of the George Cross being gifted by the widow Brahmi Devi to Kirpal Singh ( now falsely accused of theft) click on this link:
http://www.youtube.com/user/piffergurkha
The other side of the Medal, the story of a George Cross 