The Delhi High Court on Friday dismissed a petition filed by Sultana Begum, who claimed ownership of the historic Red Fort as the widow of the great-grandson of the last Mughal emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar II.
A division bench, comprising Acting Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, rejected the appeal challenging a December 2021 single-judge order that had previously dismissed her plea.
The bench cited an over two-and-a-half-year delay in filing the appeal, which it ruled could not be condoned. An accompanying application to condone the delay was also dismissed.
In her petition, Sultana Begum alleged that the possession of the Red Fort was forcibly taken from her family by the British East India Company in 1857. Advocate Vivek More, representing the petitioner, argued that Begum was the rightful owner of the fort as a descendant of Bahadur Shah Zafar II.
The plea accused the Government of India of illegally occupying the monument and sought compensation for its alleged illegal possession from 1857 to the present.
The single judge had earlier dismissed the petition due to an “inordinate delay” in approaching the court. Despite this, Begum filed the appeal, arguing her inheritance rights over the iconic property.
The High Court’s decision effectively closes the legal challenge over Red Fort’s ownership, reaffirming its status as a government-owned heritage site. The case underscores the complexities of historical inheritance claims and the challenges in seeking legal remedies after long delays.
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