Mallya buys Gandhi's items for USD 1.8 million

New York, March 06: Hours after high drama and frenzied bidding, Mahatma Gandhi's personal belongings were bought for USD 1.8 million (Rs 9.3 crore) by industrialist Vijay Mallya, who said he "bidded for the country" at the auction after last-ditch attempts by India to stall the sale of the memorabilia fell through.

Just before the auction, owner of the items James Otis had agreed to withdraw them from the auction but the auction house did not agree. It argued that it could have a big liability if it allowed the items to be withdrawn from the auction as more than 30 bidders had already registered for them and some have even sent in written bids.

Mallya bought Bapu's belongings for $1.8 million, which's about Rs 9 crore.

His representative, Tony Bedi, bid for the items. The items went under the hammer amid last minute high drama as James Otis, the man who owned the items, said he wanted to call off the auction. But the auction house Antiquorum went ahead with the auction as planned.

Indian officials had maintained that the auction was illegal, but also that they were continuing to negotiate with the owner, James Otis, over a possible resolution.Ultimately, the government and Otis were not successful in halting the auction.The bidders included a dozen people in the room, 30 people on the phone, and about two dozen people who submitted written bids.

The auction house said it would keep possession of the items for two weeks in order to make sure there were no legal claims over ownership. The second highest bid was a $1.75 million bid submitted online from Britain.