Mumbai: A sessions court has granted anticipatory bail to Bengaluru-based art entrepreneur Leena Chethan, booked for allegedly selling fake paintings, noting that the case rests on documentary evidence.
Complaint by Actor Couple
The complaint was filed by actor couple Bijay Anand and Sonali, who run Kyozan Arts, a firm dealing in old and new artworks. Chethan operates under the name Tangerine Art.
The complainant claimed that in January, 2021, Kyozan Arts purchased two paintings from Tangerine Art - a painting by Jogen Chowdhury, created in 2003 and a 1992 painting by Late KG Subramanyan.
Disputed Paintings Identified
Kyozan Art had sold paintings to Diona Art in Magarpatta, Pune. In August 2023, Diona informed Kyozan that a painting attributed to late KG Subramanyan and its authentication certificate were fake. In March 2024, similar concerns were raised about a Jogen Chowdhury painting.
Refund Issued After Internal Probe
Following these revelations, Kyozan conducted its own inquiry and confirmed the works were fake. The firm refunded Diona and took back the artworks.
Despite this, the complainants filed a case against Chethan. Granting her bail, the court noted that Chethan was not the creator of the artworks and that the case was based on documentary evidence.
