Latest news with #BahadurShahZafarII
United News of India
05-05-2025
- Politics
- United News of India
SC rejects 'Descendant of Bahadur Shah Zafar' claim seeking Red Fort possession
New Delhi, May 5 (UNI) The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a plea filed by a woman claiming to be the descendant of the last Mughal emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar, seeking possession of the Red Fort on the basis of her lineage. A Bench of Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and Justice PV Sanjay Kumar held the petition to be completely misconceived. 'Why only Red Fort? Why not Fatehpur Sikri? Why leave them also?' the Court remarked, before dismissing the writ petition. The plea was filed by one Sultana Begum, who claimed to be the widow of the great-grandson of Bahadur Shah Zafar II. She sought both possession of the Red Fort and compensation from the Government of India, asserting that the property was taken away following the 1857 revolt, after which the emperor was exiled and the British East India Company seized control of the Fort. Her counsel argued that the Delhi High Court had previously dismissed the matter solely on the grounds of delay, and requested the Supreme Court to do the same. 'Please dismiss on delay only,' the advocate submitted. However, the Apex Court declined, dismissing the plea outright on merits. Earlier, a Division Bench of the Delhi High Court comprising Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela had dismissed her appeal in December 2024, observing a delay of over 900 days from the date of the single-judge order passed in December 2021. The single-judge Bench had noted that the alleged cause of action arose more than 164 years ago. It stated, "Even if the petitioner's case were to be accepted that late Bahadur Shah Zafar II was illegally deprived of his property by the East India Company, as to how the writ petition would be maintainable after such an inordinate delay of over 164 years when it is an admitted position that the petitioner's predecessors were always aware of this position." Following dismissal at both the single and division bench levels of the High Court, the petitioner had approached the Supreme Court, which has now conclusively rejected the claim. UNI SNG SJC
Mint
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Mint
SC junks plea of woman seeking Red Fort's possession - ‘why leave out Fatehpur Sikri?' jokes CJI
The Supreme Court today rejected a petition filed by a woman, seeking possession of the Red Fort. The petitioner claimed to be the widow of the great-grandson of the last Mughal emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar II. A bench of Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar dismissed Sultana Begum's petition challenging the Delhi High Court's judgment rejecting her plea. "Why only the Red Fort? Why leave out the Fatehpur Sikri?," CJI Khanna asked the petitioner sarcastically, according to legal news website, LiveLaw. The bench observed that the writ petition was misconceived, LiveLaw report said. The woman claimed that the possession was taken away from her forcibly, by British East India Company in 1857. Why only the Red Fort? Why leave out the Fatehpur Sikri? In 2021, a single judge of the High Court had dismissed her petition on the ground of there being an inordinate delay in approaching the Court. First Published: 5 May 2025, 12:58 PM IST
Time of India
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
'Misconceived': SC rejects woman's plea claiming possession of Red Fort as legal 'heir'
. The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a woman 's plea to reclaim the Red Fort , in which she claimed to be the widow of Bahadur Shah Zafar II's great-grandson. The top court termed the claim misconceived and meritless. "The writ petition filed initially was misconceived and meritless. It cannot be entertained," CJI Sanjeev Khanna said. The CJI further said that if the arguments were considered, it would raise the question of why only the Red Fort, and not forts in Agra, Fatehpuri Sikri, and other locations. In her petition, Sultana Begum claimed that her family was wrongfully deprived of the Red Fort after the British forcibly took possession of it following the first war of independence in 1857. She said that the then-emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar II—her ancestor and the last Mughal ruler—was exiled and the fort was seized unlawfully. Arguing that she had inherited the property as his widow's descendant, she alleged that the government of India was an illegal occupant. The petition sought the return of the Red Fort or adequate compensation, including damages from 1857 to the present day, for the alleged unlawful occupation. Begum says she could not file the appeal owing to her bad health and passing away of her daughter. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 2025 Top Trending local enterprise accounting software [Click Here] Esseps Learn More Undo The Delhi High Court in December had junked the woman's plea, prompting her to go to the top court. "You have come 164 years too late," a bench of acting chief justice Vibhu Bakhru and justice Tushar Rao Gedela had remarked. She had also filed a similar plea in 2021, which was dismissed too.
NDTV
05-05-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
"Taj Mahal Too?": Supreme Court On 'Give Red Fort' Plea By Mughal's 'Descendant'
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a plea to hand over the Red Fort - the 17th century Mughal red sandstone fortress that is one of Delhi's most iconic historical monuments - to the 'widow of the great-grandson of the last Mughal emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar II '. Faced with a plea from a Sultana Begum, Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna retorted, "Why only Red Fort? Why not Fatehpur Sikri (the capital of the Mughal empire during Akbar's reign in the late 16th century), Taj Mahal (famously commissioned by Shah Jahan in the 17th)?" "You want to argue this..." a bemused Chief Justice said as he junked the 'misconceived' plea. Sultana Begum, who lives in Howrah near Kolkata, had demanded possession of the Red Fort on grounds she is a direct descendant of the original owners, i.e., the Mughal emperors. The Red Fort had been taken away from the Mughals by the British administration after the First War of Independence in 1857, after which Bahadur Shah Zafar II, who had supported the first rebellions against the colonial rulers, was exiled and his lands and properties confiscated. Alternatively, she demanded financial assistance from the government to give up her claim. This is not the first time she has made this plea. In 2021 she approached the Delhi High Court. Then Sultana Begum had pointed out that in 1960 the government had confirmed the claim of her (now deceased) husband, Bedar Bakht as the descendant and heir of Bahadur Shah Zafar II. The government subsequently began paying him a pension that transferred to her in 1980, upon his death. This pension, she had argued, was insufficient for her needs. She alleged the government had taken 'illegal' possession of the Red Fort and its unwillingness to provide adequate compensation - commensurate with its property and historical value - was a direct violation of her fundamental rights and rights under Article 300A of the Constitution, which says no person shall be deprived of their lawful property, except by the authority of law. However, this plea was junked by the Delhi High Court. Three years later she appealed against that verdict, and it was rejected again. It was rejected on grounds that the appeal was filed too late after the original verdict, overruling Sultana Begum's plea; she had said her illiteracy and ill health had led to the delays.
