In a development that appears to have significantly strengthened India’s effort in recovering Chandigarh’s heritage furniture sold at an auction in Chicago, US, on August 13, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has written to Wright Design Auction House, Chicago. The world body has asked the auction house to suspend the transfer of ownership of all eight Chandigarh heritage lots — including the six already sold for Rs 83 lakh — pending verification of their provenance and the legality of their export from India.