Manusmriti
अथ मूलमनाहार्यं प्रकाशक्रयशोधितः । अदण्ड्यो मुच्यते राज्ञा नाष्टिको लभते धनम् ॥ २०२ ॥
If the original (seller) be not producible, (the buyer) being exculpated by a public sale, must be dismissed by the king without punishment, but (the former owner) who lost the chattel shall receive it (back from the buyer).
english translation
atha mUlamanAhAryaM prakAzakrayazodhitaH । adaNDyo mucyate rAjJA nASTiko labhate dhanam ॥ 202 ॥
hk transliteration by Sanscriptअथ मूलमनाहार्यं प्रकाशक्रयशोधितः । अदण्ड्यो मुच्यते राज्ञा नाष्टिको लभते धनम् ॥ २०२ ॥
If the original (seller) be not producible, (the buyer) being exculpated by a public sale, must be dismissed by the king without punishment, but (the former owner) who lost the chattel shall receive it (back from the buyer).
english translation
atha mUlamanAhAryaM prakAzakrayazodhitaH । adaNDyo mucyate rAjJA nASTiko labhate dhanam ॥ 202 ॥
hk transliteration by Sanscript