Delhi HC dismissed a woman's claim seeking possession of Red Fort

Delhi HC dismissed a woman's claim seeking possession of Red Fort The Delhi High Court on Monday dismissed a petition filed by a woman demanding control of the Red Fort on the grounds that she is the lawful successor of the last Mughal Emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar II. Sultana Begum claimed in her suit, filed through counsel Vivek More, that she was the widow of Bahadur Shah Zafar II's great-grandson. Following the first battle of independence in 1857, when Bahadur Shah Zafar was exiled from the kingdom and possession of the Red Fort was taken away from the Mughals, it was claimed that her family had been robbed of their property by the British East India Company. Justice Rekha Palli, who presided over the hearing, questioned the attorney as to why the family had waited more than 150 years to approach the court. "My history is sketchy, but you allege that the British East India Company treated you unfairly in 1857. Why is there a more than 150-year lag? "What have you been up to for the last ten years?" Justice Palli was the one who inquired. The Court went on to say that there was no evidence to back up the petitioner's claim that he was related to the last Mughal emperor. "No inheritance chart has been filed by you." Everyone knows Bahadur Shah Zafar was exiled by the British, but can she do it if his heirs haven't filed a plea?" Justice Palli wondered. The petitioner's lawyer attempted to justify the delay by claiming Begum was illiterate. The Court, on the other hand, dismissed the claim, stating that there was no reason why actions were not taken on time. As a result, the petition was dismissed due to excessive delay. As the Court handed down its decision, Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma expressed his gratitude to the government for not losing control of the Red Fort.