Five years and five months after it started probing the sensational theft of Rabindranath Tagore’s Nobel medallion and other memorabilia from Rabindra Bhavan museum at Visva Bharati University in Santiniketan, the CBI called off its investigation. In a letter to Registrar of the University Manimukut Mitra on August 20, the CBI SP (Special Crime Branch), Kolkata, said that it was closing the probe because of a dearth of clues.

“They (the CBI) have clearly said they were not willing to go ahead with the investigation. But we still hope we will get back the priceless treasures,” said Mitra, who received the letter on August 21. He also said the letter would be placed in the Executive Committee meeting of the university. “A decision regarding the CBI letter will be taken at the meeting. The HRD Ministry of the Central government will also be informed,” added Mitra.

Meanwhile, the CBI’s decision drew criticism in political circles of the state too. “Both the government and the Opposition recommended a CBI investigation but now the agency is withdrawing itself. It is not done,” said CPM state committee secretary Biman Bose.

The theft of the medallion and 47 other pieces of memorabilia came to light on March 25, 2004. Five days later, the CBI formally started an investigation. But after three years of a fruitless probe, the CBI closed the case on August 30, 2007, only to reopen it on September 18, 2008.

Incidentally, on several occasions reports surfaced that the medallion had been smuggled to Bangladesh but no concrete proof could be obtained.