The case highlights the ongoing legal complexities surrounding royal estates.
Jaipur:
As a property dispute escalates within the erstwhile royal family of Udaipur, a similar controversy has cropped up in Bikaner in Rajasthan, where police cases have been registered against each other.
The former royal family of Bikaner owns properties worth billions of rupees, including Lalgarh Palace, Lakshmi Niwas Palace and Junagarh Fort. The dispute revolves around claims over these assets, with both former Bikaner MLA Siddhi Kumari, daughter of Karni Singh's son Narendra Singh, asserting their respective trust rights.
It is striking that this is not the first conflict between the two. Eleven months ago, Siddhi Kumari had filed a case against her aunt Rajyashri Kumari, both belonging to a former royal family, and three others, accusing them of fraud and presenting false facts.
A case has been registered at Bichwal police station regarding a property dispute between Siddhi Kumari and her aunt.
In a cross-case filed on Tuesday, one FIR was filed against Siddhi Kumari for alleged interference in the operations of a hotel agency, while another FIR was filed by Siddhi Kumari's trust against her aunt for alleged misappropriation of property.
The FIR against Siddhi Kumar was filed by Rajiv Mishra, who represents M/s Golden Triangle Forts and Palace Private Limited, which manages Lakshmi Niwas Hotel on behalf of Rajyashri Kumari or her trust. It is alleged that Siddhi Kumari is causing disruptions in the hotel's operations. Mishra alleged in FIR that Siddhi Kumari's father, Narendra Singh, signed three 19-year leases in 1999, spanning 57 years. Despite being paid for the lease, Siddhi Kumari and her sister reportedly demanded an additional Rs 4 crore through a cheque. When the lease was not renewed, the payment was reportedly not refunded.
Meanwhile, another complaint has been filed against her aunt Rajyashri Kumari by Sanjay Sharma, who acts as treasurer of trusts linked to Siddhi Kumari, alleging mismanagement of properties.
According to the FIR, the new trustees took charge on May 29, 2024, after the Devsthan Department changed the list of trustees under the Rajasthan Public Trust Act. It was subsequently discovered that goods were damaged and essential documents were missing.
The case highlights the ongoing legal and family complexities surrounding the division of vast royal estates, as the former royal family battles for control of these historically important properties.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
