Widow of Bahadur Shah Zafar's great grandson lays claim on Red Fort Claiming, HC junks plea

The Delhi High Court on Monday dismissed a plea filed by the widow of great-grandson of Bahadur Shah Zafar, Sultana Begum seeking possession of Red Fort, alleging that British East India Company forcibly took possession from her family.

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Monday dismissed a plea filed by Sultana Begum, seeking possession of Red Fort, claiming herself to be the widow of the great-grandson of the last Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar II. She alleged that its possession was taken away from her family forcibly, by the British East India Company in 1857.

The Court dismissed the petition on the ground of there being an excessive delay in approaching the Court.

Justice Rekha Palli, before whom the petition came up for hearing, questioned the counsel as to why the family had waited more than 150 years to approach the court.

"Everybody knew about it. Everybody in the Court must have read this history that he was trying to exile. It was known to the world. Why was nothing filed in time? If her ancestors didn't do it, can she do it now?" the Judge asked.

The petitioner has argued that the British East India Company had deprived her family of their property following the first war of independence in 1857, after which Bahadur Shah Zafar was exiled from the country and possession of the Red Fort was taken away from the Mughals.