CBI raids Kashmiri firms, recovers Shahtoosh shawls

Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, July 29: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) today raided two Srinagar based firms for allegedly exporting Shahtoosh shawls and recovered 4 such shawls.
The CBI has registered two separate cases on the complaints by the Customs Departments against a Srinagar-based exporter, and two private firms on the allegations of illegal export shawls containing Shahtoosh hair.
An official said that in one of the cases, the proprietor of a private firm based at Srinagar-Cashmere Fine Arts-Shabir Ahmad Gogeree has been named.
In the second case, the CBI in its FIR has named the Delhi-based Craft Harvest and its proprietor.
“Following the registration of the case, the CBI sleuths carried out searches at the premises of both the firms in New Delhi and Srinagar, which led to the recovery of 4 shawls and incriminating documents,” the CBI said.
The official said that the cases have been registered on the allegations of illegal export of 32 (26+6) shawls containing guard hair of Tibetan Antelope (Shahtoosh).
The export of such wildlife material is prohibited under the provisions of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, he noted, while adding that investigation in both cases is in progress.