An Italian junior culture minister has resigned amid accusations of laundering stolen goods, which he denies, SİA informs via BBC.
Vittorio Sgarbi made the announcement before beginning a lecture in Milan, saying he was quitting "to avoid a conflict of interest".
Prosecutors are investigating allegations Mr Sgarbi, a renowned art critic, stole and modified a 17th-century painting.
"The Capture of Saint Peter" was reported stolen in 2013.
The painting by Rutilio Manetti - a follower of the Baroque master Caravaggio - used to be displayed in a castle in the northern Italian region of Piedmont.
Mr Sgarbi is accused of altering the painting by adding a candle to the top corner, allegedly to conceal its provenance.
The politician says he found the work while restoring a villa bought by his mother more than 20 years ago. He says the painting is the original, while the one stolen in 2013 was a copy.
The allegations surfaced in an investigation by the program Report on the Italian TV broadcaster Rai.
The owner of the castle who reported the painting stolen told journalists that the canvas was cut out of the frame in 2013.
She also said that a friend of Mr Sgarbi had earlier visited the property and expressed an interest in buying the work.
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