Punjab and Haryana High Court stays order reducing Amrit Kaur, sister Deepinder Kaur’s share in Faridkot estate

More than 30 years after the last ruler of erstwhile Faridkot state Maharaja Colonel Sir Harinder Singh Brar died, Justice Deepak Gupta of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Wednesday stayed an order whereby Raj Kumari Amrit Kaur’s share in "property in dispute” was reduced to 33.33 per cent from the earlier 37.5 per cent.

The dispute in the heritage case reportedly involved property valued at about Rs 20,000 crore at one point of time. Rajkumari Amrit Kaur is one of the three daughters of Raja Harinder Singh Brar. Among other things, Justice Gupta’s Bench was told that the impugned order dated August 14 was passed by UT Additional Civil Judge (Senior Division) in his capacity as the Executing Court.

Appearing for the petitioner, senior advocate Sunil Chadha and counsel Akshay Chadha, Raghav Chadha and Tara Dutt contended that the dispute pertained to one-fourth share of the petitioner’s sister Rajkumari Maheep Inder Kaur, who expired in 2001 unmarried and issue-less.

“She had two living sisters at that time, namely Rajkumari Amrit Kaur (the petitioner) and Rajkumari Deepinder Kaur. The father and mother of Rajkumari Maheep Inder Kaur had pre-deceased her,” it was added.

Referring to the impugned order, Chadha contended that the Executing Court held that Rajkumari Maheep Inder Kaur’s share after her death in 2001 was to go to the legal heirs of her father – Raja Harinder Singh Brar, who had expired in 1989. Since Raja Harinder Singh Brar’s mother Maharani Mohinder Kaur was alive at that time, she would also get a share. “And, on the basis of the will executed by Maharani Mohinder Kaur, Bharat Inder Singh will also get a share.” Bharat Inder Singh is the son of Kanwar Manjit Inder Singh (Maharaja Harinder Singh Brar’s younger brother).

Chadha referred to the provisions of the Hindu Succession Act to say Rajkumari Maheep Inder Kaur expired in 2001. The court, as such, was required to see who were her legal heirs at that time. “Only the petitioner and Rajkumari Deepinder Kaur were surviving legal heirs of the father of Rajkumari Maheep Inder Kaur and as such, only they will be entitled to inherit the estate of Rajkumari Maheep Inder Kaur,” he added. Taking a note of the submissions, the Bench fixed October 31 as the next date of hearing the matter before staying the operation of the impugned order.

Battle royale

The property includes Faridkot House, Copernicus Marg, New Delhi; Faridkot House, Diplomatic Enclave 1-Naya Marg, New Delhi; Okhla industrial plot; Mashobra House; Riviera Apartment, The Mall, Delhi; Hotel plot, Chandigarh; Raj Mahal, Faridkot; Qila Mubarik; Stables, Faridkot; and Surajgarh Fort, Mani Majra.

Family tree

Wife: Rani Narinder Kaur (died before the Maharaja).

The royal siblings:

Amrit Kaur: The eldest daughter married an IPS officer and has three children.

Deepinder Kaur: Settled near Kolkata, she married a royal, Sadey Chand Mehtab.

Maheep Inder Kaur: A single, she died at Mashobra in 2001.

Tikka Harmohinder Singh: The lone son of the Maharaja, he died in 1981. He was a bachelor.

Bharat Inder Singh is the son of Kanwar Manjit Inder Singh (Maharaja Harinder Singh Brar’s younger brother).