Imperial Plunder? How the British looted from India and around the Globe

Chhatrapati Shivaji' sword

The tussle for the ownership of the 350-year-old Bhawani sword of Maratha warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji, which is part of the personal collection of the Queen of England, has reared its head once again with Barrister Bhaskar Ghorpade, India's Counsel in England, deciding to file a petition for its return.

The petition states that the sword is the cultural heritage of India and is of emotional value to the people here and hence should be returned as a "gesture of goodwill" and for cementing ties between India and England. According to historians, the famous sword came into the British hands after the capture of the Raigadh Fort in Maharashtra on June 7, 1818. Mr. Ghorpade came into the limelight as India's Counsel when he won the famous Nataraja Case after a prolonged legal battle of 11 years and was successful in retrieving the statue for the country.

(source: Plea to be filed for return of Shivaji's sword - hindu.com)