Antiquities and Art Treasures Act offences
Reviewed by Ravi Sisodia · Last reviewed 27 July 2026
Offences under the Antiquities and Art Treasures Act, 1972 - covering illegal export and trade in antiquities - are predicate offences under the PMLA Schedule.
Finin2min Summary — in 2 Minutes
Offences under the Antiquities and Art Treasures Act, 1972 - covering illegal export and trade in antiquities - are predicate offences under the PMLA Schedule.
Official source and legal ownership
What this covers
Offences under the Antiquities and Art Treasures Act, 1972 - covering illegal dealing in, and unauthorised export of, antiquities and art treasures - are included as predicate offences under the PMLA Schedule.
How this connects to PMLA enforcement
Illicit trade in antiquities and cultural property is a recognised international money-laundering typology, given the high value, limited transparent pricing, and cross-border demand these items can command - proceeds are frequently laundered through the sale itself or through subsequent legitimate-seeming resale.
Why it matters
Because provenance and valuation of antiquities can be genuinely difficult to verify, this is an area where a PMLA investigation often depends heavily on specialist archaeological or art-market expertise to establish both the underlying offence and the true value of the proceeds involved.
Why this matters in practice
Antiquities and Art Treasures Act offences affects how a regulated entity, professional or process participant must actually operate - not just what the framework says on paper. Applying an outdated version, or treating a notified requirement as optional or generic, is a common and avoidable source of compliance exposure.
Practical implementation checklist
- Confirm the current, in-force version on IBBI's official website before relying on it - this kind of framework is amended relatively often.
- Identify exactly which activity, process stage, filing or threshold this requirement changes, and from what effective date.
- Keep a documented record showing the requirement was actually incorporated into practice, not just noted.
- Check for any further clarificatory notification, circular or judicial interpretation issued after this one.
Practical Q&A
Is this page the complete official text?
No. It is an implementation summary. Verify the exact wording of the notification, rule or form against the official source before relying on it for a filing, opinion or compliance decision.