Thieves in jail, put tiffin box with diamonds on display: Nizam kin

HYDERABAD: Following the conviction of two thieves by a city court for stealing the diamond-studded gold tiffin box from the Nizam Museum, the Nizam’s family has demanded that the Nizam’s Silver Jubilee Pavilion Trust, that manages the museum, reattach the diamonds to the box and put it up on display.
On September 3, 2018, the thieves had removed the diamonds from the tiffin box after stealing it.The tiffin box was recovered and it is back on display, however, it does not have the diamonds. The museum also houses other rare artefacts and objects of historic value. The items had been presented to the Nizam VII, Mir Osman Ali Khan on the silver jubilee of his ascension to the throne on 1937.

The museum management has, till now, kept the diamonds in safe custody without re-attaching them to the tiffin box. They said that the matter was sub-judice. Now, the grandson of Osman Ali Khan, Najaf Ali Khan had on Tuesday told TOI that with the court having closed the case and sentencing the thieves to two years imprisonment, the eight diamonds which are said to have high antique value should be studded back on the tiffin box and put on display at the museum.
“The gold tiffin box has lost its glitter without the diamonds in place. The matter is no longer sub-judice as there is no case pending. The diamonds should be re-attached to the the tiffin box without further delay,” Najaf Ali Khan said. He also demanded that the museum authorities should make public the list of all artefacts in its possession as there was “every likelihood of misappropriation.”
Khan said that the museum trust board had kept the inventory a secret even from members of the Nizam’s family. “There are about 1,000 objects but only some of them are kept on display,” he said.
“Though the Nizam’s Jubilee Pavilion Trust manages the museum, the objects and artefacts belong to my grandfather. They were gifted to the Nizam VII. Some of these objects are from the personal collection of the last ruler of the princely Hyderabad state. The sentiments of the Nizam’s family are attached to the museum. The items are unique, priceless and are of invaluable historical importance,” Najaf Ali Khan said demanding that the inventory of the museum should be kept on display in the museum and shared with all legal heirs to prevent their misappropriation.
Khan said that he had addressed several letters to the secretary of the Nizam’s Museum for a copy of the Nizam’s Jubilee Pavilion Trust Deed. “I also met the museum secretary in person several times, but I have not got the copy of the trust deed that lists each item the Nizam had received. This indicates that something is not right,” Najaf Ali Khan claimed. He made it clear that the Jubilee Pavilion Trust does not belong to any individual of the erstwhile royal family. “It belongs to every member of the Nizam’s family,” he said.