Faridkot royal riches: Nine months after SC order, division of properties in limbo

Nine months after the Supreme Court (SC) put an end to the 30-year-long fight for the royal riches of the erstwhile Faridkot state, and awarded majority share to its last ruler’s two daughters and brother’s kin, the division of properties, including the heritage buildings, appears to be in limbo.

Reason: The members of the royal family, who have been granted share, have failed to arrive at a consensus on how the properties are to be divided before moving court for execution of decree.

In September, 2022, the SC had upheld the Punjab and Haryana high court’s order awarding the majority share in the ₹20,000-crore property to the last ruler Harinder Singh Brar’s daughters –Amrit Kaur and Deepinder Kaur – and declared the Maharawal Khewaji Trust, which had been looking after the properties, as non-existent. Some share was also granted to the family of the raja’s brother Kanwar Manjit Inder Singh.

Trust continues to manage properties

The SC had directed a trial court in Chandigarh to execute a decree for the division of properties among the stakeholders. However, none of the beneficiaries have filed application for execution of the decree, due to which the Maharawal Khewaji Trust continues to handle the properties.

Amrinder Singh, the grandson of raja’s brother, said the properties of erstwhile Faridkot state are vast and its division is a complex exercise. “The royal family members are holding talks out of court to settle how properties will be divided, so there should be no problem in the court. If we failed to find a common ground, the only option will be the court. But then, the legal process will take time,” he added.

Mahrawal Khewaji Trust’s chief executive officer Jagir Singh Sran said, “The trust is taking care of the royal properties as SC had ordered that it shall be maintained in same form by all the concerned till appropriate order is passed by the court executing decree. As per our information, no one among the beneficiaries has filed an application in the court for execution of the decree so far.”

The HC in 2020 judgement, had declared the will of the raja dated June 1, 1982, as “null and void” and granted equal share of the properties to his two daughters. However, a share was also granted to Kunwar Manjit Inder’s son Bharat Inder Singh on the bases of a will executed by raja’ mother Mohinder Kaur dated March 23, 1990. The HC had observed that she was alive at the time of the raja’s death on October 16, 1989 and being one of the first-class heirs, succeeded share in the properties. In the will, she had granted half share of her properties to Manjit Inder’s son Bharat Inder.

The lawyers associated with the case said that as per the high court judgement of 2020, 37.5% share would go to Amrit Kaur, while an equal share of Deepinder Kaur, who died in 2018, will be divided between her son Jai Chand Mahtab and daughter Nisha D Kehr. However, 25% share will go to the family of Bharat Inder Singh, son of Kanwar Manjit Inder Singh. Following the death of Bharat Inder, his son Amrinder will inherit his share.

Forging of will: BoI summons Faridkot ruler’s granddaughter to join probe

Punjab police bureau of investigation (BoI), probing the forging of the will of the last ruler of the erstwhile princely state of Faridkot, has summoned granddaughter of the ruler, Nisha D Kehr to join investigation on June 26.

In August 2020, after the HC ruled that the will of Brar was forged in favour of the Maharwal Khewaji Trust, a case was registered against 23 of its members and employees. A case of fraud was registered on the complaint of Brar’s younger daughter Amrit Kaur against the 23 trust members, including chairman Jai Chand Mahtab, who is also the son of her elder sister, Deepinder. The erstwhile ruler’s granddaughter and Mahtab’s sister, Nisha D Kher, who is vice-chairperson of the trust, was also named in the FIR.

However, on June 2, 2021, the police approached the court and sought cancellation of the FIR, which was challenged by Amrit Kaur. However, following the SC judgement upholding HC order, a district court at Faridkot refused to accept the cancellation report and directed police to further investigate the case. The BoI started the investigation into a case of fraud in November, 2020.

Punjab police has sent a notice to Kehr to appear at the office of director general of police, Ferozepur range, on June 26 to join investigation. However, Kehr through her manager submitted application to DIG Ferozepur range Ranjit Singh requesting for adjournment.

“The notice to join investigation has been received. But Nisha D Kehr could join the investigation after July 8. It is prayed that some other date after July 8 may kindly be given in the interest of justice,” application reads.

The case

Crowned maharaja at the age of three in 1918, Harinder Singh Brar was the last ruler of the erstwhile princely state of Faridkot. Brar and his wife Narinder Kaur had three daughters – Amrit Kaur, Deepinder Kaur and Maheepinder Kaur –and a son, Tikka Harmohinder Singh.

After his son’s death in 1981, the raja slipped into a depression and his will was executed around seven to eight months later. The will claimed that as his eldest daughter, Amrit Kaur, had married against his wishes, the maharaja had disinherited her. The existence of the will became known only after the maharaja’s death in 1989 and Maharawal Khewaji Trust came into existence as per its clause.

Maheepinder, a spinster, died in Shimla in 2001 in mysterious circumstances. Amrit Kaur, who is based in Chandigarh, filed a civil suit in the local district court, challenging the will in 1992 and questioning its authenticity. In 2013, the Chandigarh district court declared the will, as illegal and void, and granted inheritance to Brar’s two daughters. Deepinder died in 2018 due to illness. In June 2020, the HC upheld a Chandigarh court’s order with modification granting some share to the family of raja’s brother.