Mallaya buys Gandhi's belongings for 1.8 mn dollars

New York, Mar. 6 (ANI): Mahatma Gandhi's five personal objects, including the iconic round eye glasses, were bought by Indian liquor baron VJ Mallya for 1.8 million dollars.

The controversial auction has gone ahead in New York, despite protests from India, and the United States-based owner James Otis' last-minute attempt to halt it.

Finally, Gandhi's belongings were bought by Indian businessman VJ Mallya for 1.8 million dollars, who said he was bidding for the country and plans to return them to Indian Government.

Auctioned items included Gandhi's iconic round glasses, a pocket watch, leather sandals, plate and bowl for sale.

Otis decided to withdraw from the auction only after bidding had begun.

New York based Antiquorum auction house said it will not finalize the sale for two weeks to allow any legal issues to be resolved.

"The items would be kept with the Auctioneer for two weeks to resolve any claims," a spokesperson for Antiquorum Auctioneers said.

Four years ago, in a bid to bring the Tipu Sultan sword back to India, Mallaya had coughed a whopping four crore ruppes to a London based auction house. (ANI)