Forgery charges: SIT to inspect Faridkot Maharaja’s property
Faridkot, July 7
Investigating the allegations of forging the will of last Maharaja of Faridkot, members of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the police, led by a DIG-rank officer on Friday evening, reached Faridkot to physically inspect all movable and immovable properties of the erstwhile ruler.
Earlier, on the complaint of Amrit Kaur, daughter of the last Maharaja, Harinder Singh, a criminal case for alleged cheating and forgery was registered in July 2020 against 23 persons here.
In her complaint, Amrit Kaur had alleged that the accused forged her father’s will with the motive of grabbing and misappropriating movable and immovable property worth over Rs 25,000 crore and to divest her of legal rights in the property.
Amrit Kaur had got the criminal case registered after the Punjab and Haryana High Court had ruled in August 2020 that the will of the late Maharaja seemed to be forged in favour of the Maharwal Khewaji Trust on June 1, 1982, after Maharaja’s death.
All accused in the alleged forgery of will were members and employees of the Trust.
In October 2022, the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), Faridkot, had directed the police to further investigate the case. After these court orders, the investigation in the forgery case was shifted to the crime branch. Amidst allegations of favouritism, the investigation in the case was shifted to the SIT.
Sources in the SIT said the purpose of the inspection was to assess the scope of wrongdoings by accused for their benefit during the last 35 years when the Maharwal Khewaji Trust was formed to look after vast properties of Maharaja.
