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$4 Billion Inherited By Indian Princesses After Court Verdict!
With all the elements of a thrilling best selling novel and Bollywood films like Rishi Kapoor’s Karz (1981), recent events in New Delhi bring us back to the time of royalty and Maharajas. Crowned as a toddler, the Maharaja of Faridkot, the late Sir Harinder Singh Brar, fell into deep depression after the death of his only son. Unfortunately, after his death, his daughters – the princesses – only inherited a few dollars a month instead of the wealth, vintage cars, gold, palaces and vast land, which were their birthright properties. The women accuse the palace officials for scheming to usurp the royal billions with a forged will. This fight raged on for years and years to come.
The Maharajah of Fairdkot Maharani Narinder Kaur
On Saturday, Chief Judicial Magistrate Rajnish Kumar Sharma in Chandigarh finally ruled in the favor of the women and came to the conclusion that the Late Maharaja’s will was forged!
Amrit Kaur, the Maharaja’s oldest daughter had filed the case in 1992. The court official spoke in terms of anonymity because he was not authorized in the media.
His daughters will now inherit an estimated $4 billion estate, instead of a trust fund run by his former servants and palace officials. The Faridkot riches have been known to be legendary. The estates, which the women have inherited, include a 350-year old fort, palaces, and forests land in Faridkot, in a mansion surrounded by acres of land located at the heart of India’s capital.
There are similar properties sprinkled across 4 states. They will also inherit a collection of 18 cars, including Rolls Royce, a Daimler, and Bentley all in working conditions.
Their fortune does not end here because they also inherit an aerodrome in Faridkot spread over 200-acres, which is currently being used by the Punjab State Administration and army! Furthermore, the women inherit 10 billion ($167 million) rupees worth of gold, jewellery studded with diamonds, rubies, and emeralds.
Brar himself was a boy-king who grew up during the declining years of Indian royalty in India. He was crowned the maharaja – the last of the royalty – at the tender age of three of Faridkot. After 1947, when India won independence from Britain, Faridkot and other smaller towns were absorbed into the country.
Amrit Kaur (Left) Photography by: Narinder Nanu, AFP/Getty Images
Royal titles and power was abolished and received allowances from the government as a fixed salary, which was also later removed after 1971. Some royal families slipped into penury and some converted their palaces to hotels and museums to sustain their family incomes. However, Brar continued to hold on to his estates and riches. However, Brar had unfortunate luck when in 1981, he lost his son, Tikka Harmonhinder Singh, died in a road accident and Brar fell into deep depression.
Amrit Kaur (Left) Photography by: Narinder Nanu, AFP/Getty Images
According to his daughters, it was during this critical time when the palace officials connived to take advantage of the dire situation to deprive the family of their fortune. They set up the Meharawal Kehwaji Trust and named all the Maharaja’s trusted servants, palace officials, and lawyers as trustees. In 1989, after the Maharaja’s death, a will was made public, which states the wealth was left to the trust and was made public.
The two younger princesses, Deepinder Kaur and Maheepinder Kaur received $18 and $20 respectively. Brar’s wife, mother, and daughter were left penniless. The trust had argued that Amrit Kaur had been disinherited because she had married without his consent and thus had been disowned. Kaur however disavowed their claim stating that her father had never made any will and she had been with him with him at his deathbed.
The family’s lawyer, Vikas Jain, told India’s financial newspaper that a lot of fortune has been squandered away during the long court case.
Ranjit Singh, the trust’s lawyer told Times of India, "The will was real and it was not forged. The trust, after going through the order in detail, could challenge it in an upper court.”
Feature Image Source: resource0.news.com
Source: thestar.com, dailymail.co.uk, and the province.com
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