In a statement to the Supreme Court, India's Solicitor General told the Supreme Court that Kohinoor diamond, currently set in the front of the United Kingdom’s Queen Crown, cannot be claimed as "it was neither stolen nor forcibly taken", Times Now reported.

This was in response to a PIL filed by All India Human Rights & Social Justice Front, seeking the return of the diamond along with other treasures. The PIL involved the Ministry of External Affairs and Ministry of Culture, High Commissioners of UK, Pakistan and Bangladesh as parties, and sought return of the "ring and talwar of Tipu Sultan and other treasures of Tipu Sultan, Bahadur Shah Zafar, Rani of Jhansi, Nawab Mir Ahmad Ali Banda and other rulers, IBN Live reported.

The diamond was reportedly given by Maharaja Ranjit Singh to the East India Company. Also, last week the Centre claimed that a 43 year old law prevented India from bringing back antiquities taken out of the country before independence.

Under the Antiquities and Art Treasure Act, 1972, the Archaeological Survey of India can only attempt retrieval of antiquities which were illegally exported out of the country.