Royal bonanza: Maharaja's daughters to inherit assets worth Rs 20,000 cr

July 28, 2013
Chandigarh, Jul 28: Daughters of the erstwhile Maharaja of Faridkot are set to inherit his estates and assets worth a staggering Rs 20,000 crore following a local court's ruling after a 23-year-old legal battle that his will was forged.

faridkot

Chief Judicial Magistrate Rajnish Kumar Sharma on Thursday gave the verdict in favour of Sir Harinder Singh Brar's eldest daughter, Amrit Kaur who had challenged the will which had entitled a trust as the caretaker of the estates and assets including the Faridkot House in the heart of the national capital, a palace and a fort in Punjab besides bank deposits and jewellery.

The assets include large number of properties in Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Andhra Pradesh.

The court declared that the will was "forged and fabricated", making Amrit Kaur and her sister, Deepinder Kaur, heir to the estate and assets worth Rs 20,000 crore under the Hindu Succession Act.

As the will forged on July 1, 1982 has been declared "illegal" and "void" by the court, the 'Meharwal Khewaji Trust' has also become illegal, according to the Maharaja's family's advocate Vikas Jain.

Of the Maharaja's three daughters, Amrit Kaur resides in Sector 10, Chandigarh; Deepinder Kaur is in Kolkata while Maheepinder Kaur died a few years ago in Shimla.

At the time when the will was forged, Sir Brar was in depression as his only son Tikka Harmohinder Singh Brar had died.

On June 1, 1982, the servants in connivance with certain people and lawyers had executed the will, while the Maharaja's family including his wife and mother (then alive) were kept in the dark.

The will which was executed eight months after Tikka Harmohinder's death, raised the trust and all the servants of Maharaja and lawyers, including some others were made trustees.

Amrit Kaur was divested of all the powers of heiress on the ground that she had married against the wishes of the late Maharaja.

Deepinder Kaur was appointed trust chairman on paltry salary of Rs 1,200 per month while Maheepinder Kaur was given a salary of Rs 1,000 a month.

After the purported will came to light in 1989 following the death of the erstwhile ruler, Amrit Kaur filed a suit challenging the will in 1992 stating that her father had never made any such will and she was with her father till his death.

The suspicion about the will arose as the Maharaja excluded his mother Mohinder Kaur and his wife Narinder Kaur while all the employees, irrespective of their designation or class were appointed trustees.

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News Network
October 1,2024

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Mysuru, Oct 1: The Karnataka Lokayukta team on Tuesday arrived at the disputed plot in Mysuru and began investigation into the MUDA case against CM Siddaramaiah and his wife, news agency ANI reported. Snehamayi Krishna, the complainant in the case was also present with the team.

Sources stated that ED sleuths might issue a notice to CM Siddaramaiah at any time and issue summons to him for questioning. The sleuths are also keenly watching the movements of CM Siddaramaiah’s close associates and relatives, including a cabinet minister in connection with the MUDA scam.

Sources further said that there is a possibility of the ED conducting raids across the state on offices and residences of close associates of CM Siddaramaiah. The ED has also gathered information on bank accounts and financial transactions of CM Siddaramaiah and his associates.

The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) on Monday registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR), equivalent to an FIR by the police, against CM Siddaramaiah over the alleged irregularities in the allotment of 14 sites to his wife Parvathi B.M. by the Mysore Urban Development Authority. The ED registered the case taking cognisance of the FIR registered against the Chief Minister by the Lokayukta police on September 27.

Meanwhile, the Karnataka Lokayukta probing the MUDA case has also expedited the probe. The sleuths led by Mysuru Lokayukta SP T.J. Udesh have visited the controversial land on the outskirts of Mysuru city. The petitioner, Snehamayi Krishna, also accompanied the team.

The move of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s wife to return 14 sites allotted by the MUDA to her has triggered a debate. BJP MLA from Mysuru T.S. Srivatsa stated on Tuesday that the move of CM’s wife is not acceptable. "The two commissioners who colluded in the MUDA scam are roaming freely even today," he said.

"CM Siddaramaiah first claimed that there was no scam at all. Later, he formed a commission and now there is an FIR against him. After committing the mistake, you offer to return the sale deed. The time is up. He will have to tender his resignation and I am sure he won’t be in the position until Dasara festivities," MLA T.S. Srivatsa stated.

T.J. Abraham, one of the petitioners in the MUDA case said, “I had demanded the MUDA commissioner to take back the allotted sites. He had written back saying the process would be initiated. They were waiting for the investigation report."

"CM Siddaramaiah has not approached the division bench or the Supreme Court to challenge the order against him because there is nothing to be challenged. Returning sites is not a big sacrifice. The Chief Minister has lost it," Abraham stated. 
 

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