Maharaja's missing portrait: SIT to investigate

A Special Investigation Team has been set up to trace erstwhile Faridkot Maharaja's missing portrait which had disappeared under mysterious circumstances in 2010, police said here today.
The SIT will also look into claims that Maharaja Balbir Singh's portrait was sold for Rs 35 lakh after it disappeared from the official residence of a judicial officer three years ago, SSP (Faridkot) Gurmeet Singh Randhawa said.
The Lal Kothi building here of the erstwhile Maharaja was the official residence of the then judicial officer from where the rare portrait had disappeared, he said.
"The SIT will conduct a thorough probe and if it is found the article has been sold outside the country, the police will seek Interpol's help," the SSP said.

The Faridkot Police had registered a case of theft against some unidentified person on the complaint of the then Chief Judicial Magistrate on September 17, 2012, the police officer said.