Mamata wants to investigate Tagore Nobel medal theft

Kolkata, Aug 4 (IANS) Describing the theft of Rabindranath Tagore's Nobel Prize medallion as a shame, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said given a chance, she could endeavour to retrieve the stolen prize.

"The CBI had been investigating the matter but couldn't retrieve it. If they can't, then I will do it. Whatever we have learnt, whatever we have done is all because of him. It's a shame that even after so many years the medallion is still untraceable," said Banerjee.

The chief minister was speaking at an event at the Tagore-founded Visva Bharati University in Birbhum district's Santiniketan.

Banerjee, who on the day held an administrative meeting in Birbhum, discussed the issue with top district officials.

She also held a discussion with Visva Bharati University representatives about various development projects.

The sensational theft of the medallion and 47 other memorabilia from Rabindra Bhawan at Santiniketan in Bolpur came to light on March 25, 2004.

The investigation was handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) which after three years of fruitless probe, closed the case in August 2007, only to reopen it subsequently in September 2008.

Failing to make much of a headway, the agency closed the case again in 2010.