This is an archive article published on January 30, 2023
French Police begin investigation into auction of Chandigarh heritage items
On January 28, Ajay Jagga wrote to Nathalie Chanvallon, a judicial police officer of the French capital, seeking an investigation into the auction which had 40 lots of Chandigarh heritage items with a total reserve price of Rs 4.02-5.74 crore.
4 min readChandigarhUpdated: Jan 30, 2023 06:18 PM IST
Ajay Jagga, of the heritage protection cell, had written to Nathalie Chanvallon, judicial police officer of Paris, seeking an investigation into the auction. (Representational photo)
French Police begin investigation into auction of Chandigarh heritage items
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The French Police have begun investigations into the auction of Chandigarh heritage items in France which was stalled after a member of the city’s heritage protection cell flagged it to the French government. The police will investigate how the items reached Paris.
In a communication given by French Police attache, Fabrice Cottele in the Delhi embassy, given to a member of the heritage protection cell, Ajay Jagga, on Monday said, “A sale of 40 lots of furniture: Pierre Jeanneret/Chandigarh was to take place in Versailles on Sunday 29 January 2023. This sale was organized by OSENAT and was titled the spirit of the 20th century. The cooperation set up between the internal security forces and the Central Office for Cultural Property (France) allowed, after control of the auction house in Paris, to cancel this sale to carry out more in-depth investigations. The sale of furniture has been suspended as a precautionary measure without dispossession, an investigation is underway.”
On January 28, Ajay Jagga wrote to Nathalie Chanvallon, a judicial police officer of the French capital, seeking an investigation into the auction which had 40 lots of Chandigarh heritage items with a total reserve price of Rs 4.02-5.74 crore. The day after, it was brought to the fore that the auction was stalled following the French government’s intervention.
The reserve price of one article — PJ R 30 A Display and Blue Metal, a Pierre Jeanneret-designed, circa 1961 teak bookcase with front sliding doors, glass sides and top, with two blue lacquered metal crenellated interior shelves — was between Rs 40-53.34 lakh. It is a model created for the Central State Library in Chandigarh.
Ajay Jagga, in his letter to Nathalie Chanvallon, had said, “During your visit to Chandigarh with the French delegation in November 2022, we discussed the matter of the illegal sales of Chandigarh heritage articles and decided to share information regarding the auction of Chandigarh articles in France to track the transactions and reach the ultimate bottom of this network which has taken the goods out of India, despite orders of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India (2011).”
“However, on January 29, an auction house called OSENET in France is going to auction, perhaps one of the biggest auctions, having more than 40 lots of Chandigarh articles. The total value comes to 4.5 lakh euros to 6.5 lakh euros (more than Rs 4.02-5.74 crore). The auction is being conducted at Hotel Des Ventes du Château, 13 Avenue de Saint Cloud-78000, Versailles (known for World Heritage Sites),” he added, seeking an investigation, in accordance with the French as well as international laws, into who brought these items and when, whether the person had come to India on a business visa or a tourist visa, and he or she had an import/export licence in France or not.
“The details of sales in India, i.e. Panjab University, Punjab Civil Secretariat, Central State Library etc. will help us in tracking the chain, [which] is involved in these art transactions,” Jagga had added.
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Among the other items that were to go under the hammer was a Jeanneret-designed “low chair with transversal back” (circa 1960) a model designed for private homes as well as the PGIMER with a reserve price of 15,000-20,000 euros.
Also, that was to be auctioned was a teak bench realised for the MLA hostel and residences of Chandigarh civil servants, with a reserve price between 8,000 to 12,000 euros; a Pierre Jeanneret-designed Bamboo Iron Chair with Cushion (circa 1954)—a copy of which was in Jeanneret’s Chandigarh house and another in the collections of the City Museum in Chandigarh—with a reserve price of 30,000-40,000 euros; a 1953 bamboo armchair, a model created for the house of Jeanneret, with a reserve price of 25,000-35,000 euros; and a tree trunk table tripod coffee table, a model made for private homes in Chandigarh, with a reserve price of 30,000-40,000 euros.
Hina Rohtaki is a Special Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in Chandigarh. She is one of the most prominent journalists covering the Chandigarh Administration, civic issues, and the unique political status of the Union Territory.
Professional Background
Experience: She has been in the field for over a decade and is known for her investigative reporting on administrative waste and urban governance.
Awards: She is a recipient of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award, which was presented to her by the President of India in January 2020. She was also awarded the Jethmalani prize (The Will of Steel Awards) in 2025 in the Empowerment category for a series of articles that highlighted the struggles of Covid widows.
Core Beat: Her primary focus is the Chandigarh administrative structure, the Union Territory's financial management, and urban development projects.
Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025)
Her recent work highlights a focus on government accountability, administrative expenditures, and civic trends:
1. Investigative & Financial Reporting
"Fuelling power: Senior UT IAS officers guzzled petrol worth Rs 30 lakh in 2 yrs" (Dec 14, 2025): An investigative report detailing the high fuel bills of top bureaucrats, including the Finance Secretary and Chief Secretary’s staff.
"Admn spends Rs 1.5 crore on dismantling road railings and fixing again after increasing height" (Dec 8, 2025): Highlighting administrative waste on "non-viable" solutions for pedestrian control.
"Chandigarh’s finances under ministry’s watch now" (Nov 27, 2025): Reporting on the new requirement for MHA approval for all new projects in the UT.
2. Governance & Constitutional Status
"What will it mean for Chandigarh if it is brought under Article 240?" (Nov 24, 2025): An "Explained" piece on the potential constitutional shift that would grant the President more power over the UT's governance.
"MP Manish Tewari moves Bill seeking directly elected Mayor with 5-year tenure" (Dec 6, 2025): Covering the legislative push to reform Chandigarh's municipal leadership structure.
"No proposal to increase Mayor's term in Chandigarh by 5 years: Centre" (Dec 10, 2025): Reporting on the Union government's response to demands for a longer mayoral term.
3. Urban Infrastructure & Environment
"Chandigarh admn cuts power to India's tallest air purifier, asks firm to dismantle it" (Nov 17, 2025): A critical report on the failure of a high-cost environmental project deemed "of no use" by experts.
"UT rethinks 24/7 water supply project as costs soar" (Nov 26, 2025): Detailing the financial challenges and delays in modernizing the city's water network.
"Centre 'obfuscating, covering up' MC's shifting deadlines for clearing Dadu Majra dump" (Dec 12, 2025): Reporting on the ongoing controversy surrounding the city's major waste dump.
4. Lifestyle & Local Trends
"Chandigarh turns into a Thar city as women fuel the surge" (Dec 2, 2025): A feature on a unique automotive trend in the city, with a record 600 registrations by women drivers this year.
"After fivefold spike in 2023, EV sales struggle to pick pace in Chandigarh" (Dec 2, 2025): Analyzing the slowdown in electric vehicle adoption despite previous surges.
Signature Beat
Hina is known for her meticulous tracking of RTI (Right to Information) data to expose administrative inefficiency. Her "Ground Zero" reporting on the Dadu Majra garbage dump and her scrutiny of the Chandigarh Smart City projects have made her a key figure in the city’s civil society discourse.
X (Twitter): @HinaRohtaki ... Read More
